If I Could Do It All Over Again

By Kyle Windle on October 18, 2012

Me Today

As a fifth year senior, on my victory lap with graduation in sight, it’s nearly impossible not to look back and reflect on my college career. It’s not unusual, but I think it’s worth noting that while there is a lot to celebrate, there are also some “what ifs” that I believe will benefit you, my adored reader, for when you approach the college experience.

1) I would’ve commuted. I live 25 minutes away from campus in a suburb of Columbus. I’m commuting this year, since signing a 10-month lease when I graduate after 4 months seemed silly to me, but I lived in a dorm my freshman year and an apartment sophomore through senior year. There is a lot I love about living on campus: proximity to classes, to peers, to entertainment, to downtown, etc. However, it’s expensive, and I could’ve saved a lot of money by just taking advantage of my hometown’s proximity instead of paying extra.

2) I would’ve taken advantage of the resources unique to my school. This past week, my Shakespeare class visited the Rare Book and Manuscript Collection in Thompson Library. It’s exactly what it sounds like. Texts that are centuries old are restored and available to look at and leaf through. As an English major and a history buff, that is EXTREMELY cool to me. Why did I not know about this sooner? As a comic book fan, I’m ashamed to admit I’ve only visited the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum once, for a research paper. They have one of the largest collections of comics and cartoons around, and I’ve only been there once! Things like the RPAC I actually used more than I maybe realize, but the fact that such a great recreation center was available to me and that I only used every now and again is a travesty to me. The list goes on and on, these are just a few that strike me.

3) I would’ve utilized office hours. Granted, I meandered in picking a major, and even then, it took me a little longer to settle on my final combination of English and Psychology. Even so, some of the most accomplished professors around are at my school. I could’ve picked their brains and gotten to know them, even though I can’t say I needed extra help with the material all the time. This is something they tell you to do in orientation. Listen to them. Go to office hours.

4) I would have been more involved. I’ll admit that my introverted personality makes it easy to use things like a full class schedule and a part-time job as excuses for not being a part of more campus organizations. If I had tried harder, I probably could’ve done more. If I could do it again, I would try harder to do that.

Honestly, this list isn’t comprehensive. There’s plenty more. But hopefully you get the idea. Take advantage of what is available to you, and make the most of your time in college.