Junior Year of College
Start writing a post

My Junior Year Has Been A Wild Ride

A field of lessons

14
My Junior Year Has Been A Wild Ride

As a student, life encompasses a field of lessons we have to learn one by one. Most people don't tell you the real lessons in life that you have to learn alone. I feel like we are left in the dark about the heartbreaks, the failures, and the broken expectations life holds for us. We are taught hope and how to dream instead of HOW to work for our dreams. College is the first of many places where life unfolds in ways I never could have imagined.

Last summer, I entered my junior year of undergrad with excitement and eagerness to dive into another year of lessons. My experience was unexpected, I changed my major from English Literature and Journalism to Psychology and Journalism. With this, I had to plan accordingly to ensure I could graduate on time. Luckily, I have always taken over sixteen credits and was able to complete all the required courses. What I didn't expect was how challenging it would be and I had to adjust to the many different professors and the consistent exams.

Psychology is a LOT of work.

You can easily do the bare minimum but that's not me. I noticed how hard I was working and how little time I had for many other things. However, I found that I did not mind this at all because I was working on campus, starting an internship, traveling and still committing to other activities. It was easy to be alone because most of my friends were studying abroad and were already graduated. In this light, I found it better to be alone because I wasn't spending time with them. The nights I spent studying for exams and writing papers are what I really remember from this year. The hours I put in mattered and were essential for me to grow confident in my studies and in myself.

People will disappoint you.

Not everyone will have the same expectations as you do, meaning not everyone will always understand you and you will not understand their choices. Some people also may take you for granted, friendships are different than high school. Since middle school, I have been close to my best friend. I believe it is a lifelong friendship, she is basically family to my family and I. In college, friendships are inconsistent, people are often self-prioritizing and overlook the needs of others for the sake of themselves. Friendships are sacrificial. In college, people spend so much time on themselves they sometimes forget that.

Meanwhile, I had a lot of time dedicated to ME.

I noticed how easy it is to neglect yourself in college, school can become everything, especially if you live on campus because you are surrounded by it all the time. The workload can stress you out, the people can give you anxiety, the time for yourself can seem very limited. I feel like we should all consistently keep track of ourselves and build our mindsets. Every morning I would journal and pray before I started my day but when I would still stumble, I tended to be hard on myself. I would find excuses not to go to the gym and to instead dedicate more time to school work until my brain felt completely dead. These habits are common but they shouldn't be because soon we start to neglect our self. Personally, I didn't feel like myself, I felt drained.

You are YOUR full-time job.

I learned committing time to myself was what I needed each day. Whether it was journaling about more than the day and more about my feelings, taking a moment to appreciate my looks, affirming myself, or taking a moment to relax by watching Netflix. It may seem simple and minute but it is refreshing. I am a fond believer that you have to feel good in order to do good. Otherwise, you are not giving your all to your work or to yourself.

How are you spending your college experience?

Most people are in relationships, greek life, a club, a sport, or going through college without doing most of those things. I am very involved on campus because I enjoy connecting with others and I am dedicated to building my empire in this world. Sometimes it seems like a small world on campus and it is easy to get caught up in the lifestyle of a college student. People think they are not in the real world yet, but how we spend this time matters. At the end of your four years, what are you most likely to have accomplished? Personally, I can take pride in my high GPA, my professional experience, my connections on and off campus, and the growth I have experienced.

Embrace your full self and do things that honor you as well as others. Take time for what is most important to you and remember to continue to dedicate time to what makes you feel good and increases your overall confidence.

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

53964
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

34748
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

957137
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181827
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments