I've been trying to pull together my thoughts on something that almost every senior/adult/advisor told me freshman year; "You have time." It's everyone's go-to explanation for why you haven't chosen a major, haven't decided to become a surgeon or why you are so stressed that you're "literally going to drop out." I have concluded that you really don't have time.
Well, you don't have time to waste, anyways.
I thought that because I had time I could kind of, I don't know, mess around freshman year and pretend like I was researching what I wanted to do, but really I was just being lazy because, "I had plenty of time." I had no idea what major to choose, or even a glimpse into the kind of future I wanted to experience. I lived my life doing the least amount of work I could to get by. I realized that the time I had was passing so quickly and I wasn't making any progress in my decision to choose a major so instead of watching hours of Netflix, I started using my time to research and try out new clubs and meet new people. That's when I realized what I really liked, and also that college is actually a great investment in self-exploration IF you choose to participate in it. Don't assume that because you're a freshman, ideas and opinions about life will simply come to you. You have to work for them.
So my advice to you bright-eyed freshmen, exploratory majors or even those not taking classes: get started. The days are going to pass no matter what you do, so you may as well use them to better yourself. Talk to the person next to you in class. They don't agree with what you have to say? Learn why. Be open to other people's opinions and lifestyle. Take a class on something that sounds interesting and put your time into it. I recently discovered that I love to learn about dinosaurs. Thank you, BSC1005. Challenge yourself by joining a club and sticking with it. You never know the connections you'll make with people who understand what you're interested in. Listen to your class discussion.
Don't get me wrong – I'm not telling you to swap your fun activities for always being busy and spending way to much time working hard and missing out. But the point is, growing up inevitably leads to working hard. And soon, it becomes rewarding. The more you try new things, the more you will learn, and it can be a fun and exciting process.
Here's the thing: you have time. You have 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week to spend however you choose. Choose to waste it, and you won't get it back. That seems obvious, right? But it's not so easy when you're bundled up in bed avoiding class and, let's be honest, humanity in general. You have to remember that every choice you make right now will determine the person you become. You get to choose your adventure. Start now.
