Excerpt: I’m five weeks into my junior year of college and I’d say confidently that I’ve lived three lifetimes these past few years. New Year’s resolutions are all anyone can think about when the ball drops, and the clock reads January 1st. In both a calendar and an academic year, new changes are made for many sectors of life. Whether you add a new workout to your routine, test a new study ritual or decide to apologize less, these are all meaningful changes you make as you grow. Life would be boring without change. There I said it. Though change is intimidating, if you can make our own controlled changes at the beginning of a new period, you can gain some stability over time. Today, I’m sharing five changes I’m making in my junior year of college.
- Schedule Alone Time
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Time alone in college used to send me into a panic. The idea of being alone at a school of 31,000 students seemed pitiful. At the beginning of college, everyone tells you to get involved and to do everything, which is great advice for the time being. However, this simultaneously comes with little to no alone time. Time with yourself is a time to breathe, connect, and recoup without any external pressures. Without this time, many students may reach the point of burnout. In my experience, alone time helps me to be a better student, friend and human being overall. So, this year I am taking alone time to the next level and scheduling periods weekly. Every week, I look at my schedule and choose the dates and times that I’ll schedule a workout, study session or personal break. Though my schedule is subject to change, taking this measure weekly allows for flexibility. Not only does this step provide stability and order in my life, but it also allows me to breathe.
- Quizlet Ahead of Time
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Quizlet is an online site that allows you to create flashcards, study guides, practice tests and more. I haven’t met a college student who doesn’t use this app. The question, however, is are you using the app correctly to set up for academic success? At the beginning of my college career, I would wait until the day that an exam was announced to create a study set. A professor of mine once told me that if you create a study set at the beginning of a semester, add terms to it after every class, and study it for a short time weekly, you won’t go back to cramming again. I decided to try out his method and was pleasantly surprised with the results. It takes the average human 65 days to create a habit. So, expecting our brain to memorize 100 terms during a cramming session the day before an exam is cruel. To actually retain information long term, studying ahead of time is required. Not only does this study method work wonders, but it also takes less time and energy because of the short study increments.
- Work at a Passion Project
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As students, many of us fall into the never-ending routine of school, work and socializing. The summer is one of the few times when most students pick up a book that isn’t mandated by a professor. This cycle is a slippery slope with post-graduation jobs and internships right around the corner. Soon, summer break will no longer exist. I believe that life is about balance and that you do your best work when you care about the project at hand. This year, I’m making an effort to work on a passion project and not lose sight of what I love to do. I’m a journalism major and I love to tell stories. My love for videography satisfies this craving like no other. My camera is my prized possession and with it, I love to capture my life in film. Though filming raw videos would be enough, I’ve started to turn these videos into edited YouTube vlogs. Looking back at these vlogs brings me the utmost joy. Not only do I capture my own life, but I also capture my friends’ milestones, family vacations and random daily adventures. This is my form of making every minuscule moment a celebration.
- Say yes, Within Reason
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I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying “Say yes to everything.” Around 2020, a new saying, “Protect your peace,” began a battle between the two. These two sayings continue to hash it out in my brain routinely. Though this is still a work in progress, I believe that I’ve created a happy medium with the two ideas. Saying yes is a great push to get you out of your comfort zone. But, you also know yourself better than anyone. For example, some things that my best friend would say yes to, I would not, and vice versa. One method I used to decide whether to say yes is a pros and cons list. I’m a very organized individual and if I can write down how I may benefit or suffer from something, I can visualize my decision. I usually only say yes if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. However, there are certain circumstances when saying yes is the most responsible option. For example, in work and internship life, sometimes there are extra tasks or events that you just don’t want to do. When you volunteer regardless, in these situations, it shows employers that you have a strong work ethic and are willing to take on more. The general rule of thumb, for me, is to create a pros and cons list and think about what I could gain and/or lose from a particular experience. I’ve found that the majority of growth takes place outside of the comfort zone.
- Take Advantage of Virginia Tech
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Lastly, and most importantly in my book, I’m taking advantage of what my university has to offer. A university is a place to experiment, experience, learn, and grow. These institutions are packed with resources and opportunities for every student. Whether you’re an engineer looking to gain experience, a dancer who also wants to try out art, or a sports junkie who wants to dive right into a play-by-play reading, there is a plethora of opportunities for you. I love writing and I will always continue to make this a priority. So, on top of my journalism classes, I write for Her Campus at Virginia Tech. This year, I’m making an effort to thoughtfully plan out my articles and to write about topics I love. I’m also extremely passionate about mental health awareness and education. So, I joined Active Minds at Virginia Tech to get involved in a philanthropy that is one hundred times bigger than me. On top of joining clubs and organizations that interest you, my advice is to talk to people and professors in your classes, utilize the resources at the library and counseling centers, go to more sporting events than just football, take a class that’s out of your comfort zone…etc. Undergraduate degrees are meaningful for more than one reason. This year, I’m making a conscious effort to take full advantage of what Virginia Tech has to offer.
