An Homage To Poetry, My Lifeline Freshman Year

It’s hard to believe my freshman year is over and now my sophomore year awaits. From switching majors (and my career plan) one quarter in to spontaneously joining the cheerleading team and competing at NCA College Nationals, this year has been quite eventful. 

My first few quarters at UCSB were unpredictable, and at times, the uncertainty I felt regarding my future was overwhelming. It was especially difficult to deal with the changes I encountered while away from my greatest support system, my family. 

As I searched for activities that could bring me comfort and inspiration when I needed it most, I felt drawn to read for fun—something I hadn’t done in ages. 

I’ve historically been a fan of poems; I like to spend less time reading and more time thinking about what I’ve read. The beauty of poetry is that the same few stanzas can be interpreted profoundly differently depending on the reader. 

The academic stress I dealt with through the end of high school and a large part of my first year at UCSB prevented me from enjoying poetry like I used to. I felt like I had no time. There is so much pressure to do activities that will build your résumé during college and I felt like if I wasn’t doing something “productive for my future;” it wasn’t worth my time. 

As classes got harder, I realized prioritizing things that make me happy is far more important than overworking myself for goals I’m not even sure necessitated the stress I was putting myself through. Thus, I went back to my roots and turned to poetry. 

Beyond being an outlet for me, poetry was nostalgic. I was introduced to it by my father who would periodically print poems and leave them out for me. After receiving so many loose-leaf poems, I eventually made a poetry binder filled with all my favorites. 

When I left for college, I thought my poetry binder belonged in my old bedroom at home, along with sports medals, stuffed animals, and other remnants of my childhood. However, delving back into the writings of some of my favorite authors, like Rudyard Kipling, Priscilla Leonard, and Rupi Kaur, made me realize that poetry is not just a part of my past. 

When I’m reminded of the poems that live in my binder, I feel closer to my family and also closer to myself. Rekindling my love for poetry this year not only helped me destress, but it inspired me to keep going. I was particularly happy to rediscover poems that provide academic motivation since the last few weeks of each quarter seem to move in slow motion. 

I am not one to gatekeep, and nothing makes me happier than sharing my love for poetry, so I thought I’d include a few poems that got me through this year.

A Psalm of Life 

I would be lying if I said I haven’t had this poem memorized for the past five years. Something about the rhyme scheme and punchiness of the stanzas makes me want to run for president, enter a doctorate program, or do a cartwheel. Do with that information what you will. 

If 

My favorite quote comes from this poem: “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same.” This quote has grounded me just as much as it has comforted me, and I hope it has the same positive impact on your life. 

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening 

Robert Frost often gets a bad rep because English teachers have a bizarre obsession with “The Road Not Taken,” which, by the way, is not about what you think it is. As The Paris Review so eloquently states, “The poem isn’t a salute to can-do individualism; it’s a commentary on the self-deception we practice when constructing the story of our own lives.” But I digress. 

Your high school English teacher might have dissuaded you from reading a Frost poem ever again, but I implore you to give him one more chance, especially because “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” is short, sweet, and memorable. 

My freshman year was far from perfect, but one of my greatest takeaways was reacquainting myself with poetry and all of its glory. Reading the poems I used to love made me realize that just because I’ve entered a new chapter of my life does not mean I must close an old one. 

I encourage you to find your outlet, especially if that means reigniting your passion for something from the past. Your inner child just might begin to heal.

• college
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• freshman year
• mental health
• poetry