As I start college, I am most worried about time management. Between keeping a job, managing all of my homework, and finding time for a social life and extracurriculars, I just don’t know how I’m going to fit it all in while still getting a healthy amount of sleep. I worry that I’m going to let my to-do-list slip out of control, and end up becoming overwhelmed and discouraged. I never struggled too much with time management in high school, but I’m concerned that the less structured setting of college will get the best of me. On the other hand, I’m also worried that in trying to manage my time effectively, I may become too structured and not allow myself any time to relax. I’m concerned that I may put my mental health on the back burner in order to accomplish all I want to get done.
I’m really excited about the opportunity that college provides me to learn new things. I’ve always loved to read and learn, and I’m really looking forward to the incredible academics that OSU has to offer. I can’t wait to delve into the wealth of knowledge that I’ll soon be accessing through my professors, and I’m excited to see how all that newfound knowledge drives me toward my passions and future career. And I know that OSU has a lot to teach me outside the classroom, as well. I can’t wait to get involved in extracurriculars, make new friends, and have the types of formative learning experiences that come along with college life.
In high school, I was involved in a humanities program called Mosaic, which focused much of its curriculum on providing students with the tools to understand and appreciate different global and social perspectives. I believe this has helped me to cultivate a willingness to listen to others even when I disagree with them, and the ability to consider how one’s background and life experiences shape their opinions. I think this is an incredibly useful skill to have entering into my freshman year, because college is not a sheltered experience where everyone is going to necessarily agree with you. I hope to use my strengths in understanding different perspectives to make a wide and diverse array of friendships and connections here at OSU, and to develop a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of my peers.
During the college transition panel, one student explained how it was important to choose a major based off of your personal values and goals, not those of your parents. This piece of advice really resonated with me, because lately I’ve been struggling to find a balance between choosing a path that I’m passionate about and choosing one that will put my parent’s financial concerns for me at ease. However, I think that I’ll be most fulfilled if I put my own interests first in the matter, and find something I really love. I have to remember that I can turn anything into a career as long as I back it up with hard work. Because of this advice, I am going to utilize my experience in the Exploration program to find something I’m passionate about and that genuinely interests me, not just something that has great job prospects.