College is an amazing journey for finding one's self, so if you’re a senior in high school and about to enter college, know that it’s an amazing journey. If it’s your last year in college, be sure to make the best of it and have no regrets.
Being a second year in college, I’ve learned so much about myself already and I can’t even imagine what spring quarter and my next two or maybe even three years have set for me.
One thing I learned in college is that your own self is extremely important. Your well-being should be put first before anything. Yes, sometimes even before studying. I learned this the hard way during finals week of fall quarter 2015. I studied endlessly in the libraries here at UC Irvine. I remember one day I stayed at the library for 16 hours straight, by the time of my exams I crashed. I couldn’t remember anything anymore because I over-did my studies. This is when I learned that sleep is important as well as taking small breaks here and there. So please, learn from my mistakes and put yourself care first before anything. I’m not by any means telling you not to study, but simply take care of yourself amidst your college journey and studies.
Another thing I learned that changing your mind is okay. Coming into college, I didn’t really know what to major in or what my passion was for. I changed my major three times, but I learned that not everyone has a set college path or even a career path laid out in front of them right as they enter college. This is when I realized that college is about exploring what YOU love, not what others want you to love. Always remember that college is for you and no one else. Don’t let anyone’s negative influence stop you from majoring in and pursuing what you love. Some families don’t support their child’s major because “it won’t make them money,” but if you’re passionate about something, the money won’t matter because you’ll be happy in what you’re doing. If you don’t know your passion yet, that’s perfectly fine. It takes time to find the one thing you love, but don’t let it discourage you if you still haven’t found it. Instead, take it as a journey to learn more about different majors and activities.
College gave me my new group of friends whom I love so much. Thanks to freshman year in the dorms, I had the amazing opportunity to create long-lasting friendships. Now, friendships have their ups and downs, especially in the dorms. If you can fix problems with friends or even roommates, then you know that the bond you have with that person or those people is a great one. The dorm-life has been the highlight of my college career. I honestly miss living in the dorms so much just because I had my friends right next door.
Independence is the most important thing that I’ve ever learned in my five quarters so far here at UC Irvine. I’m free to do anything I want. This is the true test of whether or not I can make smart and rational decisions. I’ve made plenty of mistakes as an adult here, but I’ve taken them all as learning lessons. Your failures don’t define you. A lot of people judge others due to their failures in classes or even in living life in college. But from my perspective, college is supposed to be a learning lesson. Take all of your mistakes and failures and embrace them. Why? Well, simply because they are important lessons that you’ll be thankful for later in the future. By embracing your failures, you’ll become a better person along the way.
In a nutshell, college has treated me fairly well so far. My second year is by far my hardest year simply because I’m juggling classes, work, my internship, as well as my extra curricular activities. However, despite my struggles thus far, I’m doing everything I’m doing because I love it.
