Having finally finished my first semester, I figured this would be a good opportunity to look back and reflect on my first semester. I decided to do this through a list of things that I've learned over the semester, that I wish I knew back in August when I started.
1. It's Ok To Not Have Friends
I go to college far from home, so I knew a grand total of 5 people coming into school and only two of those I talk to, one of them being my roommate. I was so desperate to start making long lasting friendships right away, that I forced relationships with people that I have nothing in common with. If I could do my first semester again, I'd have spent more time getting to know different people, spent more time going to club meetings, instead of trying to spend all my time with the first people that I met during move-in day.
2. Join Clubs, But Don't Lose Your Mind
I joined clubs for sure, but I spread myself way too thin. When you first show up to the Club Fair or Activities Night, it's so tempting to sign up for every club that sparks your interest. If you think you can handle it, go for it. I thought I could, but I was mistaken. Out of the 10+ groups that I signed up for, I showed up to audition for 3, and I only went to two other clubs regularly. In the end, I was only a part of 3 out of the many groups I put my email down for.
3. Be Open-Minded/Spontaneous/Flexible
The key to making the most out of a new situation is the ability to go with the flow. So many memories that I have were thanks to spontaneous decisions; getting pizza at 1 in the morning because we showed up to a party too late, going to Niagra Falls and getting stuck in TGI Fridays because of a huge thunderstorm in the area. There were also times where I could've been more open minded. During sorority recruitment, I was dead set on one sorority, and because of that, I received no bids. That close-mindedness prevented me from getting to know an amazing sisterhood, the one that I plan on rushing in the spring.
4. It's Okay To Say "No" To A Night Out
Pretty quickly I earned the label of a "partier." I'd go out every weekend, and sometimes I'd be tired of that. But since I was a "partier," just about all my friends were too. If I could do it again, I would've made more friends that chose to stay in, so that way choosing to stay the night in, would not automatically mean spending the night alone.
5. Don't Give Up
This is the most important takeaway that I have for this semester. It was a particularly trying semester academically, and it was already a tough adjustment mentally and socially. There were a couple times that I was ready to throw in the towel and just give up. But now I'm still here, I stuck with my major and I'm glad I did. This is what I want to be doing, this is where I want to be, and I wouldn't change it.
