It’s 11:59 p.m. on a Sunday Night. You have a 9am the next morning, still haven’t finished your 5-page essay, have to prep for your professional interview tomorrow, and probably haven’t showered since Saturday morning … or was that Friday?? The struggle is absolutely real. If you’re one like me who has constant anxiety, low key OCD, and an abundance of sticky note reminders in your dorm, you would know what it feels like to literally drown with so many things on your plate. To attend a university where you can’t get into a campus club without a full application and interview process, are stuck competing against some of the top students in the nation, and are just one among twenty-sixthousand is quite a handful.

On top of that, I can’t even get a Business degree without stacking my resume chalk-full of extracurricular and volunteer work just to go through yet another application process my sophomore year. How are we supposed to handle that amongst other things — such as the simple fact that we just moved hundreds or thousands of miles from home to a completely new environment all on our own??? The 50% acceptance rate into the Haas School of Business signifies that my passion for the business frontier is either put to the test or put to rest. At least I can attest that I’ll be ok, knowing that I share an equally as fulfilling love for Environmental Science. But for those who are strictly business, you’re either pushed into Economics or plunked back into the Undecided pool.

The pressure that society puts on college students is absolutely unbearable — that the college you go to indicates how intelligent you are, how much money you’ll make, how successful and well-known you will become. Our greed-infested, money-based values that are being pushed onto us is what’s turning us into these “Millenials” whom loose sight of the important things of life — building relationships instead of just “networking,” exploring the world versus searching for a city with the highest job salary, the list goes on and on. 

Recently, I read two articles (highly suggested reads). "Is College Worth It" is about what it’s like without a college degree, while "How I Afford to Travel" is more about the simplicity of life and truly doing what you love rather than worrying too much about financials. If we could just all get back to living our lives in the moment rather than constantly living in anticipation of what’s new, what’s next, what’s gonna get us ahead — things would be so different.

Now, here’s where I stop complaining about the college systems: there are trade-offs! I’m not merely trying to make the statement that I hate my school or that college sucks or that it’s not worth it, because it is the exact opposite of that. Despite the sweat, tears and blood, I have found 9 of my best friends here, am part of an amazing sorority, and still manage to have a social life 3-4 days out of the week. I have figured out how to make use of all my resources, get straight As my first semester, and make real connections with my GSI’s and professors. The knowledge and memories I’ve gained from just one short semester so far are enough to last a lifetime, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

The thing you have to keep in mind is that you are where you are for YOU and only you. There is always something to gain, something to learn, and something to grow from. It gets a little rough sometimes, or rather, very rough … but that’s what life is about! Getting past those struggles, following your dreams, and to quit worrying too much about what’s gonna happen 10 years down the line. You do you, man.

OK, enough with the corniness. I have to get back to work.