The change in mindset that changed my daily life
I had a summer different from those I’ve experienced in the past. Coming home from my first year of college, I knew things were going to change and summer was going to look different. I could see it in the way adults asked me questions, the way my peers picked up internships and the way my classes were accelerating. Now, reflecting upon that completed summer, I feel that those differences snuck up on me in interesting ways.
I worked connecting-jobs at my childhood summer pool that kept me surprisingly busy. Between coaching the swim team, teaching private swim lessons, running “Masters” adult swimming and moonlighting as a lifeguard manager, my friends joked that I lived at the pool rather than at my house five minutes away. Although the pool was a form of employment I felt was more fun than some alternatives, I quickly realized that I was past the stage of casual work.
My summer was filled with a seemingly endless cycle of work, gym, eat, repeat. The time I managed to squeeze in with friends and family felt few and far between. With this chaotic and busy schedule, I felt as though I could feel my childhood flying past me in the rearview mirror. It was easy for me to get caught up in that feeling of nostalgia and missing out, but as I looked forward to returning to Madison, I attempted to frame the benefits.
I am a person that thrives off of the right level of busyness. My Google Calendar is programmed with every detail of my life and my friends label me the “planner.” While already having those habits, I have realized that being truly busy puts me in a position to prioritize what is most important to me. I was forced to put into perspective what I really wanted to do with my short and precious free time. This was definitely a stressful way to live my summer, but it put me in a headspace that has been invaluable in the first month back at school.
It was as if a switch had flipped as I stepped back onto campus and began classes at the beginning of the month. Managing my time felt significantly easier than it had in previous semesters. Even while starting a new job, I felt as though I finally had a handle on my priorities and how to structure my time here at school. I’ve been better about getting to the gym, doing my work on time and getting the right amount of sleep.
Although it has been scary to feel the pressures of adulthood and the real world looming, I also think I am finally starting to feel at least a little prepared. I feel less out of place and doubtful of my abilities and more confident in myself in my classes for my major. I think the most valuable thing I have gotten out of the last few months of my life is that mindset switch. I have started to trust that I am capable of excelling at the things life throws at me, and the difference is staggering.
I will say, I in no way think that I have mastered the system. I still struggle with putting myself out there socially and spending the right amount of time with friends. I still get overwhelmed by school and feel out of place. The most important difference in the way I am living with more consistency is the lack of fear. There is a critical difference between being afraid of the unknown and the things to come and embracing them. I know it is so much easier said than done, but the most unexpected things helped me get here and I am so grateful.