Fall 2012, A Reflection

My first semester of college is done and over.

At home, it feels almost surreal that I’ve completed what was in my mind an initiation into college life: finals. It was an amazingly short semester at Mount Holyoke, and I’m almost scared tha

t my undergraduate life is going to be over before I even know it (though I’m trying not to think that far ahead because it’s scary).

Looking back, it has probably been the most productive four months I’ve had in my entire life. From what I’ve learned through my academics (which, despite some, er, questionable professors, were quite engaging and fulfilling), my music (although Vespers 2012 felt more like a grueling college initiation than this semester as a whole), and my other extracurriculars (though I’ve definitely had to go to bed in the wee hours of the morning more than a couple times) I felt for the first time truly proactive in taking control of my life.

A+ for me!

Above: how I feel about my first semester at college. Now if only that appeared on my history paper too.

It isn’t until now, however, that I’ve realized how much I’ve done and how proud I am of myself to have completely, successfully, might I add, finished my first semester here. Reflections, cliché as they may be, do help you gather up your semester as one whole experience and help you decide where to go from here.

There are three easy steps:

1)      Think about what you’ve done

Give yourself a pat on the back! Whether you’ve charged headfirst into every org’s email list (and subsequently had to back out of many like yours truly because we unfortunately don’t have Time Turners) or if you’ve taken on a challenging class, it’s time to acknowledge your efforts that you’ve put out there this past semester. For me, it was primarily the sheer load of stuff I’ve taken on (and, of course, making it through history class) and the amount of commitments I’ve had.  But find the accomplishments you’ve had and relish the results of a successful semester!

2)      Think about what you haven’t done that you would like to do

Regret not auditioning for that ensemble you’ve been dying to join? Wanted to run for a position but didn’t feel that you were up to it? Wished that you had been more involved on campus? The spring semester awaits you! Don’t feel bummed out because you didn’t take the initiative, but rather take that small nagging feeling in your gut and use that to motivate yourself to make up for it! It’s better late than never to do your heart’s bidding, and it never ever hurts to try.

3)      Go do them

Now you just have to put yourself out there next semester!

Hope these tips will help you sum up an awesome semester at Mount Holyoke! Don’t feel that you did your best? Try harder next semester. There’s always a way to make it better if you just try hard enough.

Now, for those grades to come out…