My second year at Santa Clara is coming to a close and (all things going according to plan) I’m just about halfway done with my college career. As I approach this halfway mark I’ve been reflecting on the past two years and how much I’ve learned. Freshman year was all about settling in to a new place, but sophomore year taught me even more. Here are a few things I learned this past year:
It’s OK to not have everything figured out yet
There are the types of people who come to college knowing exactly what they want to study and exactly what career they want to pursue after graduation. And those people honestly impress me, as I am so, so not them. Having a plan is awesome, but it’s also OK to feel a little lost. Not everyone has it all figured out and you still have time to get it together.
Change is OK
To quote a friend of mine (shout out Maddie Wilcox), “Something I’ve learned sophomore year is that it’s never too late to change your course. Don’t force yourself to do something you’re not passionate about and if you’re constantly unhappy, that’s an indicator that something needs to change.” It might seem scary to make a change when you’re not a brand new freshman, but it’s really not too late.
Appreciate Benson
I find myself complaining about Benson way too often for someone who is going to have a rough time settling into the art of cooking for myself next year when I move off campus. Benson might get repetitive and it might seem over priced, but don’t take for granted the simplicity and ease of it.
Don’t skip class
I’m guilty of it. We all are. But as we get older classes get harder, and whether or not attendance matters you should really make an effort to show up. Everyone needs a sick day and that’s OK, but we’re also here to learn (and we pay a lot of money for it! So moral of the story: go to class).
Call Home
School can be overwhelming and sometimes it’s easy to forget to call home and catch up with your friends and family. We all get busy. But home can be a great support system for those times when school seems like a little too much.
Look out junior year, I’m comin for ya!