As the end of the semester approaches, I've started to think about how I've changed and become more mature in such a short amount of time. I've made incredible memories, but not without a bunch of bad days every so often. Here are ten things I've learned about college life over the past few weeks.
1) How every moment, especially during the first few days of college, can change the rest of your college experience.
No pressure for next year's freshmen, but make sure to spend the first three days of school doing every activity, even if they sound lame. I met my best friends at a random ice cream social, playing badminton on the Main Green, and at a karaoke concert. If I had skipped out on any of those to watch Netflix in bed, as I so wanted to do, I would not be friends with the people I'm friends with now.
2) The significance of playing a sport on my academics
Even though playing a varsity level sport requires 20+ hours a week of commitment, without it, I guarantee I would not be succeeding in college. Knowing I will have to go to practice at a certain time every day forces me to manage my time properly, making time for meals, studying, and sleep. Beyond that, having a separate group of close friends with similar lifestyles to me has made me a happier person. If you're not an athlete, there are so many other similar non-academic communities and clubs to join.
3) That dining halls get old fast, but after a weekend away you start to miss them
There are some days when I look up the menus for all 5 main dining halls on campus and decide I would rather be hungry than eat any of the same food for the 100th day in a row. But when I was home for Thanksgiving, I started to crave that 12-hour-a-day salad bar, mediocre asian cuisine, and late night quesadilla.
4) The importance of having something to look forward to
It is so easy to get into a rhythm of classes, eating, studying, and partying once the semester begins. However, to save myself from routine, I did something fun and unexpected every weekend for the first two months of college. One weekend it was a hike in New Hampshire, the next it was a Night Nation Run and Color Run, another it was apple picking, as well as a concert in Boston.
5) That even the most type-A people will begin to procrastinate
In high school, I did all my homework on Friday afternoons right after school. I worked during lunch, study halls, and even before school to get assignments done weeks ahead of time. While playing squash makes me more efficient with my time than most of my friends (I am writing this on the bus ride home from a match), I still find myself putting off finals studying until pretty soon before the exam. I think it is just the vast and never-ending amount of work that gives me less motivation to get things done.
6) Studying alone is way more efficient than studying with friends
My friends have daily, late-night study sessions in the dorm kitchen, which are always a blast but never let me get any work done. Unfortunately, in the same 3 hours that I am blasting my Spotify playlist and catching up with people, I can write 5 pages of a research paper in the absolute silence of the 13th floor of the library.
SEE ALSO: My First Semester As A College Athlete
7) But eating meals with friends is crucial to maintaining some sanity
Some days when I am extremely swamped with work, I'll try to eat and do homework alone. I can go an entire day without socializing with people, but at least for me, that will lead to extreme stress and sadness. Just a half an hour talking to people about things completely unrelated to studying and stress can make my entire day.
8) How it is so important to take classes you enjoy
I complain a lot about my classes purely because of the amount of work that I have, but in all honesty, I love 3 of my 4 classes (sorry Calc 2). There is no other way I would be motivated to do all of the optional readings and problem sets, attend tutoring sessions, and never skip a class. I found that a balance of 2 requirements and 2 fun/interesting/completely-unrelated-to-your-major classes is challenging yet engaging.
9) How easy it is to neglect your health
So many people have told me that they forgot to eat for 12 hours because they were busy, or pulled all nighters because of 2 essays due the next day. While I can't imagine myself doing either of those things, I neglect my health in other ways. For example, my dad brought me 2 Costco family-sized bags of granola over Family Weekend, and they lasted me about a month. In other news, I'm averaging 4 cups of coffee per day, and I only see that number going up in the near future (hello, Orgo!).
10) And that no matter how hard things get, there is always someone to talk to
Some of my crappiest days have been turned around by talking to friends, teammates, RAs, and even TAs. When I don't feel like talking about my problems, I like to distract myself with any combination of a good workout, an episode of Friends, a good meal, and jamming to music. The world isn't going to end, no matter what problems you're experiencing.
SEE ALSO: 18 Things I Have Learned During My First Semester of College
No amount of college tours and even overnight visits could prepare for the surprises college would throw at me, but with all the lessons I've learned in my first semester, I am hoping second semester will be half as shocking and twice as fun.
