Each semester at college has been completely different since I started going to the University of Cincinnati back in 2014. I may be only three full-time semesters, plus one summer semester, away from graduating, but I can honestly say from experience that this semester definitely had its share of learning moments.
Your first year of college is all about keeping up on your studies and getting adjusted to the work load. Year two is the year of getting involved on campus or more involved if you were not as involved your first year. Even in my first semester of junior year, I can say for certain this year was unlike my first two years, maybe in a not so great way, but that is life. You learn to adjust and adapt. Here are just a few of the many lessons I learned just in the fall semester alone.
You don't always have to have plans on weekends. Honestly, we all need a night to ourselves or in with friends. Order some take-out, watch some Netflix, or stay in with your choice of beverage. It's perfectly cool to not go out or have plans every weekend. Some weekends you just have to say no.
It's OK to say no sometimes. Speaking of which, it's okay to say no...to anything...without a reason. Say no to going out if you need time to recharge your batteries. Say no to taking a class that may look good on paper but doesn't count towards your degree. Don't volunteer too much if you can't handle it. Say no to the Tinder date that is giving you a creepy vibe. Take care of yourself when needed.
Self-care is the most important thing. Rolling into this point, self-care was the second most important thing I learned this year. You learn what makes you happy, your hobbies, your favorite foods, etc. Earned a little bit extra on your last paycheck? Go get a new shirt or your favorite take out. Little rewards help boost morale.
You find your support system. What I learned this semester was to eliminated the negative energies in my life, and I'm still figuring out where I stand with that. Sometimes you need to keep people in your lives but distance yourself, but other times, you find yourself wanting to get closer, and that can be even harder to trust again. It's not easy, but I know deep down, it's worth it. You make relationships that could last a lifetime in college. Enjoy the positive people in your life.
Finding your limits. This doesn't just mean alcohol to college students either. Don't be like me and cram everything into one or two days, but do not put off things that need to be done, as well. You eventually figure out a balance even if it's just day-to-day that works for you. I know I can only work on a couple of assignments each day, but I'd rather put in more effort than those than getting multiple assignments done and just not up-to-par quality.
You're always going to freak out the first and last weeks of the semester. This is not just an RA thing either. You no longer have a syllabus week, but your professor gives you the first week to get your books if you need them which counts for something. The first week is all about your new classes, moving back to campus, and the last week is composed of crying over finals and packing up for the semester or the summer.
It's OK to change your path. Honestly, we are all still trying to figure out what we really want to do. I just decided to turn a minor and certificate program into a double-major. It is never too late to decide what you want to do, within reason, of course. If you are in your fourth year about to graduate and want to change programs, you may be in school a bit longer.
You are not your GPA. If you plan to go to med, grad, or law school after, your GPA is super important. However, it does not reflect who you are as a person. Some people, including myself, had a bad semester and plan to get it up. Your GPA can show off some qualities, but it does not show how you are at work, how you work with other people, or what you do outside the classroom.
You'll develop some new skills. If you would have told me before college that I would know basic HTML and CSS knowledge and that I could kind of make a website from coding alone, I would have laughed right in your face. I learned this semester that I enjoy writing and creating stuff from websites to videos on Adobe Clip on my phone, or even coloring a mandala to relax. Learning new things is not nerdy. That skill and other skills in your tool box could land you an internship, co-op, or a job.
Things have a strange way of working themselves out. Despite the headaches we get from classes, I truly believe things have a weird way of working themselves out. Had a tough semester GPA wise, there's always the next semester and/or summer classes. You need a new job? Keep pushing out those applications. You feel miserable some days? That's okay. Life gets brighter. There is a light at the end of that tunnel. It might not feel that way right now, but they genuinely get better.
You never stop learning about yourself. Throughout your college years, you are away from your life that you had during high school and before that. You have a chance to reinvent yourself. When I was in high school, I was expected to maybe stay at home and got scoffed at when I said I was majoring in Journalism. Moving out was one of the best things to happen to me. You will keep learning about yourself and how much you've grown and changed during and after each semester with each challenge that's presented. In one short semester, I learned more about myself in such a short time than probably my first two years of college. Sometimes it works out that way and other times it doesn't, which is okay too.
Your junior year of college is like watching your favorite television show as it airs. There is a ton of action going on some nights and other nights, it's mostly talk. The action could be sudden life events or school stresses. Talking could be more relationship issues with friends, family, and other loved ones. Those may be the tough moments, but as Marvel's Deadpool puts it, there are: "brief, commercial-like breaks of happiness." That may mean good news or just a couple of hours away from life's stresses. However, my first half of junior year made me focus on myself more which was the biggest challenge I have had to face since starting college. Good luck, and stay tuned for Part 2 after spring semester ends!
