Freshman year was an unforgettable experience! I remember packing up riding backwards in the car, counting every mile I was getting away from home. I was nervous, anxious, but excited. I made new friends, unforgettable memories, and learned some new do's and don'ts of life. Within one year, my mindset has changed as I have grown. This growth wasn't achieved without a few mistakes and wishing to go back in time, but hey thats life. Here are my plans to make the best of sophomore year...adopt a few if you would like.
1. Grow Closer to my religion - Being away at school, church grew further and further of a priority (unfortunately). The time I usually spent in a church pew, was spent at my desk doing homework before work. I also "church hopped" until I found somewhere I liked for the remainder of my time at NCAT. I have never wanted to take sermon notes until I went to Hungry Church, right behind NCAT. This upcoming school year I plan to read my bible more, attend bible study, and regularly attend church. Some of your best resources will be in a church.
2. Learn to Budget - Next year my friends and I want to live together off campus. This will be our first time living "on our own" so we need to learn how to budget SOON. We cannot forget a rent payment, so within this year I plan to learn how to budget. My best idea is to google a budget form and practice setting a budget, and not going over.
3. Study more, party less - Yes, I go out. But I can forgo a party here and there...they get shutdown by 12:30-1:00AM anyway. Within that time to prepare to take that L, I can be studying.
4. Exercise More - As college students, our stress contributes to many issues. However, if we hit the gym more and release that energy in a positive form, we benefit in more than one way. I hope to exercise more, to get in shape, and handle my stress in a positive way.
5. Network - Did you see how quick this past year went? And this year will only go as fast, so I hope to network more. Sophomore year is the warm up for Junior year, and by then we will all want internships. So why not get your face out there now, to prepare for what's to come? You want to be ahead of your peers so that when opportunity comes, you will have the upper hand.
6. LEAP OF FAITH: try something new! Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is not promised, that's why we are blessed with the present. We only live once, so why not live it up?! Try something new, do something different, and step out of your element. This year I plan to try vegan food, drink more water, and regularly do yoga. Hopefully this upcoming summer I should be studying in Spain, but we will see.
To me, college is that last bit of "cushion" before we hit the real world. Yeah, the real world has already hit us as we have bills as young adults, but we are still in the process of molding ourselves into model citizens of the future. I hope many students get something out of my list, as well as their undergrad experience.
