Starting college is an adjustment for everyone but I think the biggest thing for me is not feeling like I can prove myself and stand out. I could make my mark in high school by doing well in a class or sharing thoughts in class but at such a big school like this it is harder to that. I am worried that by being surrounded by so many intellectuals I will find that I am not as up to par as I had thought I was. During discussions, I worry I will find myself not able to keep up because I haven’t thought of the topics as deeply or passionately as the other students. However, I am most excited about the independence I have with my schedule and the opportunities I have here. If I need to get out of the dorm and study I can easily walk to a library on campus and if I want to work out I can walk two minutes to the North Recreation Center or look at the schedule of classes that’s offered. I enjoy my alone time, which is challenged by close dorm quarters with others, but is helped with the ability to be so close to so many outlets. So the campus being so big is something that worries me but at the same time the community here is what I’m also excited about. From high school, challenging AP classes taught me how to work hard and use multiple resources to study and form study groups. Also, from playing a sport in high school I have learned how to manage my time with a full schedule and how to juggle multiple commitments. On campus, outside of the classroom, I plan on playing intramural tennis, joining Pets for Vets, and Refuge team which helps make higher education accessible to refugee high school students. I also want to participate in a lot of on campus activities and functions when I have time to do so. One thing that the panel said that resonated with me was in response to the question how do you respond to people asking you what your major is and their reaction to “undecided”. They say to not feel like you’re answering the question for the other person’s sake just like you aren’t picking the major for another person; you are doing it for yourself. They said to own the fact that you haven’t locked yourself into something yet. It is easy to make yourself think about what major your family would want you to do or think of what people expect you to chose and feel obligated to sway that way, and I am guilty of that more than I’d like to admit. It was good to hear that it isn’t a choice that needs to be rushed and that the focus is finding something that would make you happy for the rest of your life, not pleasing anyone else.

[The Home Page will show a running blog of your recent posts, which are categorized and show on that category’s page. Please delete this post or edit with your own information.]