College is undoubtedly an extremely difficult transition, perhaps one of the hardest of our lives. I say this because it is one of the first real experiences we have at living on our own. This is the first time we must completely rely on only ourselves. Those who have never been on their own and whose parents have been supporting them in a variety of ways must now do their own laundry, set their own schedule, find their own transportation, and manage a schedule much more rigorous and difficult than in the past. Let’s face it: College is hard. The classes require much more work outside the classroom and the professors expect much more of the students. Studying in high school is nothing compared to studying in college. However, even though the classes are much more difficult than before, the experience is amazing. I have only been here for a semester and have met some of the most genuine and wonderful people of my life and have had such wonderful experiences. I think this has a lot to do with balance. Although academics should ALWAYS come first, balancing academics, social life, physical health, and mental wellness is extremely important.
As I said, academics should always come first. You must have the ability to stay in on a night when you have too much homework or studying to do despite how much temptation there is to go out. You must also work hard in order to figure out your optimal way to study. Studying is crucial in college and must be a top priority. Additionally, when extracurricular activities begin to take over your life, you must be able to step back and focus on what truly matters; school. After all this is college, aka school.
However, having a social life is also extremely important. You now attend a university with thousands and thousands of other students just like you. That is thousands of possible friends, people to network with, and people to have by your side for possibly the rest of your life. You should go out and have fun. After all, you need a break from the books to enjoy yourself every once in a while.
Then comes physical activity. The freshmen fifteen are real. There is no doubt about it. Living on campus definitely makes it more difficult to eat healthy, especially since the dining halls do not always offer the best options. Just try to get some veggies on your plate every once in a while. You also HAVE to go to the gym. Somehow you must make time for it. And I know its easier said than done and that sometimes your schoolwork will take over and you will have to rationalize going to the gym and going to bed at 4 am or not going to the gym and going to bed at 2 am. All in all, college is about figuring things out and making your own decisions; your physical health being one of them.
Last but certainly not least is mental health. College puts an extremely large amount of stress on the average student, especially first-year freshman and those in difficult majors. We must make some time to relax and give ourselves the mental break that we so desperately need every once in a while. Making decisions also takes a big toll on you mentally. You are now on your own and can no longer consult your parents on every single decision you make. It is up to you to make the right decisions and to correct yourself and learn from the mistakes you make.
Although balance is extremely difficult and I still don’t think I have quite found it yet, I hope to fully achieve it so that I can get the most out my college experience and I hope the same for all other college students. As cliché as it sounds, these are the “best four years of our lives,” so we might as well find the balance we need to make the most of them.
