10 Lessons I’ve Learned So Far During my Sophomore Year

This is one of the most important things that I’ve learned this semester. It may seem like a strange concept, to keep your own secrets. Some people are good at keeping other people’s secrets, but not everyone has heard of keeping their own secrets. You may want to tell your friends, or those around you, many different things about you. Sometimes, this is not always the best thing to do. Your friends can often tell other people the things that you didn’t want them to tell, and this can seem detrimental to your life. It’s important to keep your own secrets, otherwise, those around you may know too much.

This one may seem strange, but it’s something I’ve always tried to do. You never know how people’s days have gone, so it’s always nice to try and send a little smile someone’s way. I usually feel nice when other people smile at me, and I try to return the favor as well. Giving someone a smile as they pass you on the street, or as they’re trying to get to class is such a simple gesture, but can honestly go a long way.

I simply cannot live without coffee. It is the holy grail of all drinks and you cannot convince me otherwise. Coffee has gotten me through some really rough times this semester. It has been there for me when I’m crying over math, when I had a seven-page paper due, during midterms, and every morning when I wake up. Never. Ever. Underestimate the power of coffee. Ever.

Read! Read! Read! Not just books that you have to read for your classes, or a textbook, or even a road sign on your way to the grocery store. Read a book that you personally picked out. A book about something you’re interested in or just a random book for enjoyment. Just read a book and finish it, all the way through. Reading books has been one of the few things that have kept me sane this semester. I’ve always liked reading, but it quickly became harder to read for enjoyment because of my busy schedule. Recently, however, I’ve been making time to read, and I have absolutely enjoyed it! I never knew how much I missed doing something I love until I picked it back up again. 

This is something that I am not proud of, but I absolutely hate washing the dishes. I love cleaning, but when it comes to those bowls with the dried and crusty food on it, and the fork with the random wet noodle on it I just don’t have it in me. When this happens, naturally, my dishes decide to pile up. This makes my situation even worse in the end. Because of this, I have learned that doing your dishes is important, otherwise, they pile up and become worse and worse. 

If you have recently moved into a fully furnished place and all your clothes smell weird now because of the stuffy drawers and closet, use baking soda! When you do your laundry, sprinkle baking soda into your load on top of your clothes. Trust me, the smell will come out! Using baking soda was such a lifesaver to me and I hope that this can help others as well!

I have always been a planner fanatic. You’ve all caught me. I take my planning very seriously, and I always have. I’ve learned that planning is the most helpful thing I can do for myself, and in order to juggle all of the aspects of my life I need a good planner! I’ve had some decent planners before, but the one I found this year is the best one I’ve ever had! Because of how good my planner was for me, I feel like it has made my life so much easier. This is one of the best pieces of advice I can give to anyone. 

This piece of advice might seem strange, but I highly recommend it. During this semester, my grandmother, who loves puzzles, asked if I wanted to work on a puzzle with her. We haven’t worked on a puzzle together since I was little. I hate puzzles. They’re so tedious and, honestly, I see it as a waste of time because you’re just putting something together just to tear it apart. But this time, when my grandma asked me, I decided to work on the puzzle. We spent a few hours on this puzzle, talking and laughing at each other’s mistakes with the pieces. By the time we finished, I was so proud of myself for doing the puzzle. I had such a good time doing the puzzle, and I got to spend a lot of much-needed time with my grandmother that I otherwise wouldn’t have gotten.

Saying “no” is not always an easy task. It can seem really hard sometimes, but it can also be beneficial. Sometimes you may take on more than you can handle, and being able to say no is an important skill to have. Saying no is also important if you have a test to study for or a paper to write and need to cancel going out with your friends, or even if you just don’t want to do something. Being able to say no is one thing I’ve learned this semester.

Some people may have heard the theory that the first thing you do in the morning should be making your bed. And while I agree I also know how hard this task can be. If there’s one thing I’ve learned this semester, it’s been that making your bed is actually important. You are less likely to get back in bed, causing you to be more productive during your day. Not to mention, if you ever have unexpected guests, they will think so much better of you for making the bed. You’ll look more put-together and be seen as clean and organized.