Hey I know it’s spring quarter now, but winter really hit me with those seasonal blues. Although I’m a sophomore, I felt myself seriously missing home for the first time. Over spring break, I took the time to reflect on why that was. Usually moving away triggers that homesickness most of us feel when we’re 18, but that wasn’t the case for me. Why? Well I’m here on HerCampus trying to figure it out.
Sophomore year has been a challenging time so far. All I did freshman year was go to class, spend time going out and making friends and take care of myself. This year, I’ve found myself trying to figure out what I want to do with my life, which is a bit daunting, to say the least. On top of that, I’ve been surrounded by people in my major who seem to have it all figured out. Left and right, fall quarter, I was hearing about students getting internship offers for summer 2023 or even beginning to recruit for summer 2024. Meanwhile, I wasn’t aware of the existence of even half the companies that were so sought over by many. I became overwhelmed and grew insecure, something I had never experienced before as one of the top students from my high school and an academically successful freshman year. School had always been a strength of mine, little did I know it wasn’t just grades that mattered.
I wanted to go home.
Home never judged me.
Home provided me with support from my family as I dealt with arising challenges.
Home made me feel comfortable.
I could be a child at home, a sister, a daughter.
But home would never allow me to grow.
Getting actively involved in RSOs on campus, learning from the experiences of others, working, and applying and interviewing for many opportunities has pushed me to work harder than I ever have before.
And for that I am grateful.
Don’t get me wrong, I still miss my family like crazy, but I’m finally starting to realize that I can’t rely solely on them to get me through the hard times in my life. It’s time to trust myself.
So why am I writing about this on HerCampus?
Because I want people to know the power of investing in themselves. Beyond taking great care of your physical and mental health, involve yourself in activities that spark your curiosity and passions, challenge you to grow, and ultimately help you become the best version of yourself. I highly encourage you to start by getting involved on campus!
Overall, I’m so grateful for all the opportunities UW has opened up for me so far. It’s been a wild ride, but I’m excited to see where this journey takes me. And who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be able to look back and thank those winter blues for pushing me out of my comfort zone and into a whole new world of opportunities.