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Seven Semesters Down: A Reflection on My Four Years

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I have 74 days until I graduate from Ohio State.

In a way, even though I feel like my time in Columbus is coming to a close, I don’t want it to end quite yet. Ohio State and Columbus have become a home for me–a place I’ve grown so much in the last four years.

Growing up, I often felt as if I didn’t have a home. Every few years, my family and I would pack up our bags and do another cross-country move. The summer before my senior year of high school I even had the lovely change of moving from Montana to Illinois. I enjoyed the moves, for the most part, yet I never felt settled and that was something I always wanted.

Ultimately, I made the decision to go to Ohio State on a whim. The decision boiled down to Ohio State or the University of Illinois and I guess I was just ready for another change. Whatever I was thinking at the time, I’m happy things worked out the way they did.

I joined the Biological Sciences Scholars group in my first year and I have no doubt my college experience would be so much different if I had not participated in that program. It gave me the chance to meet many wonderful and intelligent people. I have fond memories of my freshman year, but there were also rough times of feeling homesick and lonely, to the point where I even considered transferring back to a school in Illinois. During that time, my mom and I had some long phone calls where we talked about making the most of wherever you’re at. Oftentimes, with growing up and having to move around, I was quick to grow bored of a place. I was one of those people who always thought, “the grass looks greener on the other side.” But that’s not a useful mindset to have. Ultimately, at the end of my freshman year, I choose to stay at Ohio State. Once I decided to stay, I also decided to completely focus on making the most of where I’m at in Columbus and start getting outside of my comfort zone.

I became an OWL Coordinator in my second year, contributing to that decision to become totally engrossed in Ohio State. This opportunity introduced me to a whole new set of people. This position helped me start getting more involved. The friends I made through Owl are ones that have made such an impact on my life. I also became a University Ambassador (or campus tour guide, as it’s more commonly known), which I loved. Through that position, I came in contact with inspiring and involved individuals that I truly hope I’ll stay friends with long after graduation. I also joined a research lab in the psychology department where, six semesters later, I’m still working and planning on completing my senior thesis in April.

I’ve continued this kind of involvement and focus on the present throughout my last two years as well. I’ve held plenty of other positions, specifically my current job as a Peer Leader, which have given me such amazing experiences.

During these last four years, I’ve learned that things don’t really go your way. It’s all about adapting, staying flexible, and not forgetting to enjoy the little things. It’s realizing that the hard times are temporary. Trust me, I’ve had my share of rough periods here at Ohio State–rough weeks, months, and semesters. I’ve overextended myself, taken on too much work just in the hopes of building my resume, failed classes, lost significant relationships, and more. Life isn’t always smooth. But just because there’s been some struggles doesn’t mean I haven’t loved my experience as a whole. I learned how to handle disappointment, to keep moving on. So, I suggest you do the same. Don’t let one thing slow you down. Make the most of your time, because, as everyone says, it goes by so fast.

Maybe I’ll end up staying in Columbus next year or maybe I’ll move far away (I should know what’s next in a couple days!). Regardless, Columbus will always have a special place in my heart. College has been so much more than the classes I’ve taken. The experiences I’ve been able to have here have helped me figure out my own little life path. And the people I’ve met, they mean the world to me. I am surrounded by some of the most intelligent, empathetic, hard working friends.

Thank you Ohio State, but, more importantly, thank you to all those who have created a home for me here.

Back to the Basics: the 3 Pillars

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College. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you most likely have experienced some time here at Ohio State and have recognized the fact that it can be difficult to take care of yourself. It’s okay, a majority of college students feel the same way. I have gone through my own situations where I wasn’t taking care of myself as well as I should have been. However, I believe taking care of yourself is a process. For processes, it’s more beneficial to have a plan. You can’t just wake up one morning and decide that you want to take care of yourself better then have it immediately happen, unfortunately. That’s why I’m here to hopefully give you some insight on how to start this process; it all starts with taking care of the basics of making sure you’re healthy.

Sleep

College. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you most likely have experienced a night with like…somewhere between 5-6 hours of sleep. Maybe (hopefully not) less. Those coffees and Monsters on campus can only help so much.

Many resources state that for us adults, 7-9 hours is a healthy amount of sleep per night. If you make getting less a routine, you may start feeling lack-of-rest effects like a loss in alertness, a loss in ability to remember/process info, an increase in moodiness, and of course a decrease in energy.

Sleep, like classes or that meeting for the group you’re in, can simply be a scheduled time block. Fitting sleep into your routines/calendars and then working out your plans for studying and socializing around it will hold you accountable and hopefully keep you on track.

As for naps, if that’s something you can fit into your schedule, it’s best to avoid naps over 60-90 minutes to avoid sleep inertia (grogginess), while still gaining the rejuvenation effects. The optimal time is midday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., so that way your night schedule isn’t messed up!

Diet

College. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you most likely have experienced a questionable diet choice at some point. Whether it was forgetting to eat for 14 hours or downing 3-4 Buckeye Donuts, most of us students have done something that probably wasn’t for the better.

Diets are tricky…unlike sleep, there is no magic diet that everyone should follow because everyone is built differently, has different needs, and different goals/values. However there are a few “avoidables” that can benefit everyone’s physical health:

  • Greasy/Fried foods
  • Excessively sugary foods or drinks (there IS a difference between natural sugars and added sugars)
  • Excessively salty foods
  • Highly-processed foods

Honestly, I could go into way more depth and detail with this section, but to keep you from getting bored, I’m going to stop it there. Basically, it is pretty much known if something is unhealthy. Slight substitutions will go a long way towards benefiting your physical health and energy. Have any questions about on-campus food or want some more info? Visit the University Dining website or contact someone within the Student Wellness Center (they do a lot with nutrition/diet counseling and education – it’s free, too!)

Other basics tips?

  • Try to eat until you’re satisfied, rather than full.
  • Eat a variety of healthy foods, which provides you with a broader intake of nutrients and keeps you from getting bored!
  • DRINK WATER. It is essential. The benefits would be a whole other section. There are a bunch of different recommendations as to how much you should be drinking, but I’ll let you research that on your own (everyone is different, like I said). Although I do recommend a glass of water every morning to kick-start your day.
  • If you’re struggling to find time to eat, do the same thing as sleep and establish time blocks within your schedule!
  • Add some vegetables.

Exercise

College. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you know of the large campus we have here at Ohio State and all its gyms it has to offer. Have you taken advantage?

Like diets, everyone’s needs are a little bit different, especially with regards to goals. The general “rule” is that it’s considered healthy to partake in moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. As students, it’s almost easy to have exercise take a backseat in priorities. Most of our time with academics is spent sitting in classrooms and then sitting or laying down to study.. then, to add to it, when we’re finished up, we just want to relax.

However, by incorporating physical activity into our routine (whether that be aerobic activity or strength training) we can combat the negative health effects of all of our sitting.

Exercise, along with all of its benefits, will boost your moods and energy overall while reducing health risks. As a student, we need as much of those benefits as we can get. The good thing about exercise is that there are so many different types and opportunities on campus. The gyms here also have very broad hours, meaning you can incorporate a full workout or a quick sweat almost anytime during the day! Check out the times (and more) at https://recsports.osu.edu/facilities.

It all starts with…

This article was by no means professional advice, but rather general advice from a fellow college student. I’m not an expert in sleep, diets, or exercise. I also want you to know that I sometimes fall short of taking care of myself in these three basic areas. There have been times where I’ve gone to classes with 5 hours of sleep. There have been times where I have eaten 2 Mirror Lake meals. There have been times where I decided to play 2K instead of going to hit back/bicep day. I am in no way asking you to get 9 hours of sleep a night, skip out on every Snickers bar, or go deadlift 500 pounds. I am simply just trying to get you thinking about bettering yourself – these pillars are crucial for that.

The thing is, it all starts with you. Building goals and then proceeding to build commitment to those. Self-responsibility and motivation are key, but practicing consistency in these areas is almost even more important and will benefit you more in the long run.

Oh yeah, and make your bed every morning. I have to work on that too.

Extra Note: Are you or someone you know struggling with having food to eat? Ohio State has food pantries for students.

The Best Brunch Place on Campus

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Now I might catch some heat for this opinion, but just wait before you go to the comments and tell me I’m wrong. Hear me out. My absolute favorite brunch place on campus is First Watch. It’s not for the food–although I would die for those potatoes–and it’s not for the location–it’s kind of far from where I live. It’s for the people I meet there every week.

My group of friends started a tradition last semester where we went to get brunch every Sunday morning. The first place we went to was First Watch, and the tradition just kind of stuck. Some weeks, some people couldn’t make it, and some weeks we had a full table, but you could always count on us to make the effort to see each other. 

The point of this post is not to hype up First Watch, but really just talk about making the effort to keep your friendships. The more people we meet on campus, the easier it can be to continuously move on from thing to thing, somewhat forgetting people along the way. Sure, you might see your old favorite lab partner walking down The Oval and wave hi to them, but then you remember two semesters ago where you were hanging out every week and had a deeper connection.

If you want to keep your friendships going solid, and make sure you have that support system always behind you, schedule a time to always meet up. Schedule your Sunday morning brunch, and promise to do your best to show up, sometimes it can’t be every week, but as long as the effort is there, they will be there.

Introspection: Who are you?

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Every day we walk through life, we should be living our best lives. Not many people can say they are living their best life, but that is likely because we have become an increasingly pessimistic society. We complain, we hold grudges, we care more about the perception someone else has of us than our own opinion of ourselves. We have lost ourselves in time.

What type of life do you want to live? Do you want to live a life that is filled with adventure, fun, passion, and lots of love? Do you want to live a life with regret, anger, contempt, and confusion? Select your path and allow me to introduce both sides in my story so you can understand what each has to give (or take).

My Story

I believe we all have a choice: a choice to be phenomenal or a choice to listen to the demeaning thoughts in our heads. Throughout my first year in college, I allowed the negative thoughts to deafen my optimistic spirit and kill me, slowly. Drained on a daily basis, I tried to obtain some source of motivation to take me out of this slump, but my motivations were all external. I questioned my intelligence, my sense of purpose, my life. I was going through a very tough stint in my life; however, depression became the present that would open my eyes to a new world. I was receiving all of my validation from the feelings of being liked by others, I was going to social media for validation (keeping up with the amount of likes and how many followers I had), and I was taken astray causing stress in my sense of existence. I felt so alone even when I was in a crowd of people, I felt envious toward those who had everything I felt I didn’t, I felt uncertain because I didn’t know who I was.

Self-Realization

I started to realize that all of the things I was pursuing were in fact driven by the external factors in my life, but not once did I ask myself what I wanted to become. As I began to come to this realization, I started to tend to myself and listen to that internal voice who has guided me in my journey of life. We all have our own answers, but many times we leave our own questions unanswered because we want to be able to correspond with the majority. We lose sight of the person who truly matters the most: ourselves. If we do not take care of ourselves, we cannot take care of someone else to the best of our ability. If we do not love ourselves, we will not be able to share a love that is full and wholehearted.

Takeaways

I learned that I must start appreciating myself and others would follow. When you understand who you are, you become authentic, you have genuine meaning in your voice, in your spirit. You are then not led by a false reality that you have shaped to fit in to society, but by something that lives within each of us, our heart. You discover that you are unique, that you are amazing, that you are one of a kind and nobody could ever replace you.

Usually we give out resources, but I do not want to throw resources at you because in the game of life, you are a resource to your self-actualization. You have the power to change your life and no one else has that leverage to do such a thing. To make the most of today, to live our best lives, we have to look deep within and start a new chapter in our book called self-appreciation, self-love, self-discovery. Everything else will follow, I promise!

So, I ask again what path will you choose, how do you want to live your life?

P.S. Watch this YouTube video.

Academic Coaching: The Key to Academic Success

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If you’re anything like I was as a freshman, your first semester might not have gone how you expected. It happens to most first years; the first semester is filled with the excitement and stress of simply adjusting to a college lifestyle–learning where to eat, meeting new people, learning the campus, etc.–and for many, it was the first time that academics have been a challenge.

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So, maybe the first semester didn’t go as you planned, but you’re optimistic that you’re going to turn everything around and ace all of your classes and be the perfect student. You have it all figured out: you’re going to study every day, complete all your homework on time, pass your midterms, work out daily, join a club, get a job, and get 8 hours of sleep. Totally possible, right?

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Without any help, unlikely. But, with a little help from the team of Academic Coaches at the Dennis Learning Center, I think you could get pretty close. Here’s what to expect from Academic Coaching and why I believe it is one of the most underrated, underused, and most valuable resources Ohio State offers its students.

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Academic Coaching

  • Schedule online to have your own, free, personal, 1:1 hour-long appointment with a trained Academic Coach. In this meeting, you will discuss with your coach any struggles you are having with school/life, including but not limited to: time management, note-taking, test-taking strategies, testing anxiety, organization, motivation, procrastination, studying, and memorization. Your coach will help develop a personalized plan and provide you with strategies to combat these issues.
  • Form a connection with your coach and keep coming back weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly to check in on the progress you are making and to continue learning more about what works for you as a student.
  • From my experience with Academic Coaching, I have become a more productive, organized, and relaxed person. I used to stress about how much I had to do and felt like I had no time, but once I was able to sit down with a coach and go through my classes, responsibilities, and schedule, I was able to regain control and now have more time than ever.

Workshops

  • Workshops are held all over campus throughout the year and might even be happening in your residence hall! These workshops include topics on stress management, note-taking, organization, and more.
  • While the workshops are very helpful, I encourage you to schedule an appointment after attending a workshop to get the most benefit!

Courses

  • You can even enroll in a 3-credit course to improve and develop yourself as a student. Choose from a list of classes emphasizing learning strategies, motivation, time management, self-regulated learning, success strategies for international students, and more.

Again, I cannot emphasize enough how truly beneficial the Dennis Learning Center can be for your success not only at Ohio State, but also personally and professionally. Having these foundations of self-regulation, accountability, organization, and time management are crucial for success, and there’s no harm in taking advantage of your resources. Try it out, you won’t regret it!

If you’d rather explore Academic Coaching and the resources in the Dennis Learning Center yourself, schedule an appointment, or learn more, check out their comprehensive website on all of the services they have to offer online on The Dennis Learning Center website.

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Shoot Your Shot for Special Scholarships

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Do you like the sound of free money? February 1 is right around the corner, which means we’re almost wrapping up scholarship application season! I’m a recipient of one of the hundreds of Special Scholarships, specifically the Stadium Scholarship. I know there can be a lot of confusing documents with 20+ pages about finances that are hard to navigate. Let’s skip all of that and just hit the who, what, where, when, and why.

WHO You, Ohio State, and the government are all pretty closely related for the Special Scholarships Application. To be a candidate for any of the scholarships, you must have completed the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (also known as FAFSA), an application managed by the federal government, by February 1. Completing the FAFSA provides data for Ohio State to determine your financial aid package.

WHAT There are hundreds of scholarships to target specific eligibility ranges. The scholarships range from cooperative living scholarships like the Stadium Scholarship Program and the Alumae Scholarship Housing, to others that consider academic major, year in school, extracurricular activities, and heritage. Even though scholarships may look small on paper, over time they can add up, so check any boxes that apply to you. There’s no shame in wanting to save a couple dollars here and there!

The application does contain one essay prompt and a 300-word personal statement, so don’t wait until the night before. Try and have someone look at your essays, perhaps at the Writing Center or a trusted professor/upperclassmen who have applied before. The more eyes, the better!

WHERE The application for the Special Scholarships are all online. Be careful–it does time out after 20 minutes of inactivity, so try using Microsoft Word or Google Docs to type your personal statement and essay to copy over later.

WHEN The priority deadline for the Ohio State Special Scholarships Application is Saturday, February 1. This is the same day as the FAFSA deadline, so make sure you have both of those submitted by 11:59 p.m.

WHY There’s no hiding from the fact that college is extremely expensive for most of us. Even if the results don’t turn out the way you’d like them to, taking a shot in the dark is better then not trying at all. You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take, so why not go big? There are hundreds of scholarships out there waiting to be claimed by deserving students. So, brush the dust off that personal statements because it may make you some money!

Once you’ve completed your Special Scholarships Application, there are still plenty more out there. Review the directory of all the department level scholarships offered to students pursuing different degrees, from undergraduate all the way to medical school. Go out there and shoot your shot!

Good luck and save that money!

STEP Shortcuts: Preparing for a Great Second-Year

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Somehow we’re already in the third week of spring semester. These next two months of the semester are rather busy and can be a bit daunting. From figuring out housing, planning classes, choosing majors, it all comes at you fast. Along with housing, one thing you may have heard of, but may not know much about, is the STEP program. This program may just be the thing you need to give your second year at bit of an edge.

What is STEP?

STEP stands for Second-Year Transformational Experience Program. This program is all about focusing on your success and development. During autumn semester, you will meet with a faculty mentor and cohort of other sophomore students weekly where you’ll engage in discussions and activities about your strengths, values, as well as academic and career goals. In the following spring semester, you will develop a written proposal and budget about how you will use the STEP fellowship to support your goals. Fulfillment of the requirements of the STEP program means you’re eligible to receive a fellowship of up to $2,000 to use toward a STEP signature project.

What can I do with my fellowship?

Now here is where you receive your freedom with STEP! There are 6 areas of focus that you can choose for your fellowship:

  • Internships
  • Creative and Artistic Endeavors
  • Leadership
  • Service-Learning and Community Service
  • Education Abroad
  • Undergraduate Research

From my cohort of 18 students, we had a wide variety of focus for our STEP projects. Some used the STEP fellowship to pay for housing, groceries, and a new suit while they completed internships in Washington D.C., Atlanta, and Ontario, Canada. Others used the fellowship to help fund their research, a study abroad trip to Italy, or even to create and produce a short film. You can make this experience your own.

I didn’t know what project I wanted to do until February. There’s no rush to figure it out – your mentor is there to help you.

Off we go!

What did I do with the STEP fellowship? I packed my bags and flew off to Thailand. I chose to do a service-learning project with two of my close friends. With the assistance of my mentor, we were partnered with Global Vision International, a volunteer abroad program committed to conservation and community development. All three of us were signed up to be Global Health volunteers. It was a trip completely outside of my comfort zone, but one that has become a highlight of my sophomore year and helped me find my interest in public health. I actually added public health as a minor after this experience and I am hoping to continue this work in graduate school.

Within the 24 hours of finishing my second-year of college, I had landed in Bangkok, Thailand. My friends and I spent four days exploring the city, going to ornate temples, eating exquisite Pad Thai, drinking loads of mango juice, getting lost in the busy markets, and, of course, rocking elephant pants, before heading to Ban Naam Khem, Thailand to begin volunteering.

There were five other volunteers from Ohio State there as well, but we met volunteers from all over the world–Denmark, Wales, England, Norway, Australia, Hungary, and more. My days of volunteering involved early mornings teaching English at the local elementary school, followed by afternoons interacting with students at the local social center or teaching CPR to the local taxi, bus, and boat drivers. We got to interact with the community and learn some elementary Thai. My time in Thailand helped me gain a lot of independence, see a beautiful country, meet wonderful people, and I hope to be able to work abroad again, but this time for a lot longer.

So now you want to join?

To participate you have to live 1) on-campus, 2) in Greek-affiliated housing, OR 3) at home with a parent or close relative, for both autumn and spring semesters. Current first-year students will automatically be signed up for STEP when they participate in housing re-selection for the 2020-2021 academic year.

STEP gave me the chance to have an experience I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do. What will you do?

A Major Change

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A lot of things can happen in the short months of fall semester during your first year of university. Everyone experiences growth in college and sometimes that transition as you build your identity can help you realize interests and passions that you didn’t have the chance to explore in the past. Sometimes those changes include a realization that your field of study isn’t in your field of interest. 

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If you are like me and already had doubts about your career path before entering college, you know the decision to change your major can be a long and stressful process. I started off as a biology major and psychology minor with the goal of one day becoming a doctor, embodying the quintessential pre-med student at Ohio State. Although I haven’t deviated from the health field and am now a neuroscience major on the pre-pharmacy track, my coursework and experiences my first year of college played a big role in helping me recognize my true passions. I researched a lot of majors for most of my first year, trying to figure out what connected to me the most. It took time, but I’m glad I didn’t rush my decision because eventually I found a major that supported my interests and aligned with the career path I wanted.

There isn’t an algorithm for choosing what major fits for you; sometimes it just takes you stepping back and thinking very basically about what you like. Take a few minutes to stop what you’re doing and ask yourself a series of questions; here are some examples:

What interests you?

What kind of future you see yourself having?

Are you attracted to a specific income?

Do you prefer to be in charge of your own work or do you prefer to work under someone else?

Do some self reflection and then take that information and create alternative paths you could see yourself having in college and beyond and see which one resonates with you the most. There is nothing wrong with being a biology student on the pre-med track if that is what truly interests you, but there are many different ways to enter the field of medicine without being a biology major. Although that might not be the case with some majors like, say, biomedical engineering, a lot of career paths don’t require one specific major to enter that field. My best piece of advice is first, figure out what career you would like to have, think about the different majors that can land you that career, then research each major to see what appeals to you the most. 

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If you don’t know where to start with career exploration, it’s okay because thankfully there are resources on campus to help with that. Career Counseling and Support Services can be a useful resource when it comes to thinking about jobs. Similarly, if you need help with exploring majors, University Exploration is something you might want to look into. Through this advising office you can explore different paths of education while getting the credits and classes you need to stay on track to graduate. You can meet with an Exploration advisor at any time, regardless of what your major is, and get help on figuring out what you want to study. The Internet is also an amazing tool when it comes to research and most majors at Ohio State have pages filled with information that will allow you to see the curriculum for specific majors as well as links for potential career paths. Your academic advisor is also a great starting point if you’re unsure where to begin. Although they might not have a vast knowledge of the other majors/colleges on campus, they will still be able to direct you to the resources that can help you. 

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Choosing or redeciding on a major can be a tedious process but it doesn’t have to be something you go through alone. I personally wish I used one of these resources earlier on because I probably could have saved myself a ton of stress and confusion. It’s okay if you don’t have your entire life figured out today. It’s also okay if you don’t know the exact career you want to have in the next 20 years, but it’s important that you at least recognize what careers have the potential to fulfill you and what careers you want to avoid at all costs. 

Best of luck!

Spring Semester: New Year, New You! New Year’s Resolution Guide

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After three weeks of family fun, gifts, and sleeping in late, it’s time to come on back to Ohio State. Spring semester is upon us and in my opinion, it’s fantastic! I know for some the lack of football games and cold weather can be a damper; however, for me, second semester has and always will be a time of growth and expanding friendship! For most of you, I assume that with the new year comes one thing: New Year’s resolutions. While cliché, resolutions have consistently kick-started my motivation and led to major growth. The reason for this is primarily centered around the approach I take not only to New Year’s resolutions, but also to spring semester in general, which I break down into four simple steps.

What are your goals?

This is the starting point, what are your goals, really? If it’s just to lose weight or to increase your GPA, that seems incredibly oversimplified. I would suggest getting a sheet of paper, and writing down specific goals you have in mind for this semester, and how you plan to achieve them. For example, instead of listing, “raise my GPA” as a goal, write instead the specific GPA you wish to achieve and the steps you are going to take to do so, such as going to tutoring on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3-4 and going to office hours. This will allow you to have a realistic expectation of the time commitment and work necessary for your goals.

Start right away!

Everyone wants to wait until tomorrow to do things. It’s logical–starting a new journey is hard, it’s full of fear, anxiety, and doubt. However,

It’s important to just do it! Go to office hours these first few weeks to get in the groove of going. Go to the gym at Monday morning 6 a.m. Whatever you have set as your specific goal, do it as soon as possible to avoid delay and quitting.

My motivation is fleeting

Everybody can go to the gym in the morning during this first week. However, as the weather gets colder, you have more and more work to do, and more and more of your clubs start to ramp up your time commitment. Your motivation may begin to diminish and it may seem really hard to get out of bed to do your workout, or go to office hours at 8 a.m. While motivation isn’t always there, discipline can be there. Routine is a magical thing, and if you can just push through the harder periods, you will reap the rewards tenfold. Remember to stay the course, and that hard times are only for a little while.

I missed one time…it’s over! (Nope.)

Let’s say you snoozed your alarm at 5:50 so you could get an extra 7 minutes of sleep after a really long night of studying. Then you wake up, your roommate’s gone, and its 1 p.m. You freak out, and it’s as though all your hard work has culminated into failure. You missed a day and that’s it, why bother continuing to go? Well, if we were all machines this would be a fair statement. However, life is difficult and mistakes happen. You didn’t go one day, THAT’S OKAY! Things come up, stuff happens; however, it’s important to stay the course. Get up just like you normally would the next day.

Overall these are my four steps to have a killer second semester! I hope this semester will be among the best times of your lives!

Peace and Love, Nick Pavelec

If You’re Reading This, It’s Not Too Late

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Congrats, you’ve made it through most of fall semester. The question is, do you know how to prepare for spring semester?

 

My first semester was two years ago, so I would be lying if I said I remembered exactly how I spent it. I do, however, remember feeling both relieved and anxious and I can confirm this because it’s exactly how I felt during winter break last year. It feels good to know you’ve accomplished something and you are one step closer to your next goal, but it’s scary to realize you don’t know what the future will bring. It’s hard not to worry about your progress, or think about how satisfied you are with your current work ethic, your major or just your life in general. My first semester, I spent more time focused on classes and personal problems than I did taking care of myself, which led to me forming some unhealthy coping mechanisms and being unhappy overall. Not to mention, I was considering changing my major and felt so lost about what I wanted to do. It was a difficult time, but I survived it. There is a way, however, to alleviate that stress and that’s by taking time to think about what you want to prepare for next semester and setting goals so you can do things differently in the future. 

There are a lot of different ways to set goals. My personal favorite is writing all of them down as a gigantic map in my bullet journal (it’s really chaotic). There are also more structured ways, like S.M.A.R.T. goal setting. However you choose to create your goals, make sure your goals are specific and include specific steps on how to achieve that goal and measure your progress on achieving that goal. An example of a goal you could set is getting into your desired major by a certain date.

And so, here are my tips for the best way to prepare for spring semester: 

Remember that you are the boss of your own education. If you were unsatisfied with your classes for autumn semester and are reconsidering your major, don’t feel pressured to stay in classes you don’t want to be in. Use this break to do some research and explore other majors and schedule to meet with an Exploration advisor or consider career counseling. It’s normal to be unsure or lost about what you want to do but it’s important that you address it and make efforts to figure it out.  

Transform your health. If you ate a lot of crappy food and/or didn’t work out in autumn semester, use this break to change that. Drink lots of water and take advantage of home-cooked meals if you aren’t staying on campus. Likewise, try a new recipe if you are sticking around. Maybe learn how to do some yoga. Use this time to improve your health, mentally and physically. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t fallen victim to the “Freshman 15”, but believe me when I say it’s an exhausting way to live and not how you want to spend your first year of college.

Start a routine! Having a routine gives you small goals to accomplish throughout the day and you’ll feel better after each one. Over winter break, these goals don’t have to be “big”. For example, your routine could be getting out of bed by 11 a.m., eating breakfast, making your bed, working out and sleeping by 11 p.m. Creating and sticking to habits during the weeks you aren’t on campus will help you slide into routine when you get back on campus. It will help you manage your work without wasting time and give you time to take care of yourself.

Did you have a good support system in autumn semester? Winter break is the perfect time to reflect on the relationships you created over the last few months. It’s important that you have people on campus who support and uplift you. If the people you hang out with aren’t good influences and don’t encourage your growth, it might be time to distance yourself from them and seek better connections.

Get a planner, calendar, or journal and write down all important deadlines and exam dates at the start of the semester for each of your classes for the entire semester (based on your syllabi). This can include homework, readings, lab reports, essays, basically anything you could get assigned; you can do it during the first few weeks of classes and it will make you feel a lot more prepared later on.

You may have already realized this, but time goes by fast when you’re in college. You might feel exhausted after finals and find yourself wanting to not think about school for a few weeks, but pushing the thought away isn’t going to make the first day of classes come any later. When everything slows down, take time to do some self-reflection, I promise you’ll feel better when you do. Good luck!