With Thanksgiving break only a week and a half away, my first semester of college is close to being over. This semester has been a huge change for me, and I've learned more about myself than I would have thought possible in such a short amount of time.
This semester has been packed with change and decisions. I came into my first semester declared as a Global Media major. This semester I'm taking 18 credits (5 classes). I'm taking Video Production 1, which is completely new to me because I've never had any video production experience before this class. I'm also taking a practicum class, Cable TV Practicum, where we have to create, write, and produce our own TV show. Sounds fun, right? Well, making and producing a TV show is a lot harder and a lot more work than I thought it was. Along with those classes, I'm taking Introduction to Media Studies, my English 101 requirement, as well as my freshman seminar that's about forensic science, called Science, Sleuthing and Sherlock. I came in to my first semester, thinking that I knew what I wanted to study and that I wouldn't change my major. I thought that I would love Global Media- it sounded so cool, getting to study the media and study abroad. I wanted to go into the media and become either a journalist or work for a network on a TV show or something.
Well, here I am, in November of my first semester, Undeclared. I decided to drop the Global Media major, because it wasn't what I thought it would be. I wasn't enjoying any of the classes that I'm taking for my major, and I wasn't in love with the major like I was before. I have an idea of what I want to change my major to, but I was advised to change to Undeclared until I know for sure what I want to declare my major as.
So I learned that Global Media wasn't what I thought it was going to be. That made me realize that I need to have more of an open mind when it comes to what I want to study, and I'm not going to know what I want to do with my life until I experience it. I learned that I'm not going to have everything figured out, and that not everything is going to go according to plan.
I've also learned time management. Being a student-athlete, time management is one of the most important tools that we can have. Budgeting my time between sleep, meals, class, lifts, conditioning, practice, athletic training, and homework time or studying time has been a challenge. Most nights I don't get to sleep before midnight, and I have to be up for my 8am class or for 9am conditioning. But, I find ways to make it work. I'm rarely ever in my room; you'll either find me in class, in the gym, in the trainer's, in the library, or getting food.
I'm also learning to function outside of my comfort zone. I'm learning to ask for help and to ask questions if I don't understand what's being asked of me. I'm learning to compartmentalize and try to take every day as it comes. I'm learning to push myself to do things both on the field and in the weight room that I haven't done before. I'm learning not to stress or get anxious about the little things that I can't control; even though I still get anxious over some of these things, I still know that all I can control is my attitude and my effort.
Even transitioning semesters is pretty stressful. I'm waiting to sign up for classes for next semester, and since I'll most likely be declaring my major sometime in the spring, I'm really hoping that I get the classes that I want. I'm looking to take more law classes, and, as a freshman, I'm last on the totem pole when it comes to registering for classes. I came into the first semester with credits from dual enrollment AP courses in high school, so I'm registering before most of the freshmen in my class. However, some of the courses that I'm looking to take are filling up rather quickly. I'm already stressing out about my schedule for next semester, and this semester isn't even over yet.
I'm learning to figure things out for my own, live with other people who have other ideas and opinions that are opposite of my own, and basically live on my own when it comes to budgeting money, time, and energy into my day. College has already taught me so much this semester, and I can't wait for next semester to start (but I still want break!).
