POST FIRST YEAR RAMBLING: A HUMBLE ATTEMPT TO REFLECT AND ADVISE

Dorms must be evacuated by no later than noon May 7^th 2013, unless you’re a rising senior,  a reunion worker, or have a very valid excuse for staying on campus! We all knew that and yet somehow I found it hard to understand what all the rush was about. After all we have about 4 months of summer vacation! I needed more time to study, wrap my head around things, pack, pack efficiently, say goodbyes, plan my summer… but all I got was two and a half days’ worth of reading period, and then 4 days of exams. Fine- that’s what everybody got, but still! Before I knew it the semester was over, and what had seemed like a very long journey had just come to a halt. In fact, not only was the semester over, my first year of college was done,finished, finnito. It was actually quite anti-climactic, and I found myself asking why should it have been otherwise? For me, finishing the Spring’13 semester is a big deal, but at the same time it’s just the completion of phase 1. I’m pretty sure we’re not supposed to feel completely satisfied. Also, this is just the start of a rising sophomore’s post first year rambling…

You know what they say: “be careful what you wish for.” As soon as this semester had begun I couldn’t wait for Spring Break– that was our only holiday period, so you can imagine how happy we all were when Nemo came along. Oh Snow Day- one more holiday! And then Spring Break finished, and every day seemed never-ending, but somehow time flew by too fast and nostalgia started seeping in. How I wish I had spent every day in a more productive manner!

At first I didn’t know where the time had gone…… well I think we can say that poor time management, procrastination and a bad routine can be blamed for that.  But then the first year of college is all about adapting. Yes, your first year of college is ideally the year to explore your interests, try new things, and get rid of bad habits while you learn to become more independent and mature in the process. In fact, you’ll hear plenty of peers tell you that the first year is the easiest and the hardest but for different reasons. Most of the professors are very understanding, the classes you’ll be taking will be mostly 100 level or first year seminars, and being in a new place, sight-seeing and exploring college life through different activities is always exciting. Yet adjusting to every professor’s requirements, writing at ‘college’ standard and balancing a social life can be quite the challenge and perhaps not the smoothest transition for everyone.  Moreover, you’re going to take that class you don’t like, maybe even switch before the add drop period ends even if it means at the last moment. You might even take a class you’ll regret enrolling in or have to withdraw from it for good reason. You’ll see your friends succeed, you’ll succeed too, and perhaps even excel, both academically, athletically! You’ll hear fellow students complain and whine, and you’ll listen to upperclassWOMEN give you advice. Maybe you already know what you want to do, like say Pre-Med. You’ll get confused. Maybe not.That’s the beauty of liberal arts. It doesn’t matter how many times you change your mind– at least not in your first year!

To be honest, I miss college now. I miss having a routine, and seeing my friends, and going to class and lectures. I miss learning  new things that I’ll sometimes like or hate. Being at home for the summer, I finally realize just how good Mount Holyoke has been to me. I’ve met the most amazing people, studied under some brilliant professors, and shared some experiences that have becomes part of my fondest memories!  Don’t get me wrong, college isn’t all fun and games– it requires a lot of hard work and effort which includes doing your own laundry, waking yourself up, making sure you have three meals a day, etc. Tough times! It’s especially difficult for a first year international student whose miles away from home. And in most cases he or she must wait a VERY long time to meet his or her parents and siblings and have home-cooked meals. That is  unless you’re lucky enough to get invited to a family dinner by one of the ‘amazing’ local friends or have relatives in proximity.

Now that I get to see family, start interning, and enjoy a break from school work and dining hall food, I can actually reflect tremendously and perhaps give some sound advice: don’t come with too many expectations; let yourself be surprised! Don’t be disheartened if your struggle in your first semester. Likewise, don’t be disappointed if the second semester doesn’t live up to the hype of the first. Remember we wouldn’t be in college if we knew how to do everything. Life isn’t easy and certainly your first year in college is just a taste of the real world. Don’t wish for the semester to end, at least not until your almost till the end, because every subsequent semester is just going to go by faster! Remember, It’s alright to be afraid sometimes. Be happy, it’ll only help you enjoy your work and life more. Moreover, once you get the chance to talk to graduating seniors, it can be surprising to learn just how much some are terrified of the uncertainty that life outside college forces you to consider. So take comfort in the security that your institution provides. Right now, I know that I belong to Mount Holyoke’s bubble for the next three years– and that is a very comforting thought!