This is it! Last issue of the semester. Are you excited, CAL 103 Whitney students? You won’t have to read the paper anymore! For staying with me this long, thank you. I hope you will pick up the paper at least once next semester, especially if you have resonated with any of the opinion columns while procrastinating reading your homework assignment. Surprisingly—or maybe people are just polite— both friends and acquaintances tell me they really relate to the things I write. Shout-out to Isabella who stopped me while I was picking up my laundry, to say she read my column about home last week.
I really am happy when I get feedback like this! I take pride in the fact that whether it be my best quality reflecting or last minute reflecting, I’ve been published in every issue thus far. Sometimes, even twice if I cover news. I get excited when I see someone holding a copy on Friday morning, because it means that layout is worth it! But honestly, even if no one reads my stuff, at least I’m glad to have a permanent diary of my first semester to look back to.
But still, it’s super cool when random people tell me how they feel about my column. Even if you think what I say is a bunch of baloney, I’m really interested in knowing. Shoot me an email or anonymously tape your comments on the door of the Stute office (if you don’t know me in person to let me know).
As the fall semester comes to an end, I wanted to reflect on some things I learned from everyone and everything that encompasses my college experience. My peer mentor told me some interesting advice about a class I’m in, in which a group project is worth 30% of the final grade. “In the future, you need to assemble your dream team. People that you work best with, your go-to group for every class.” She further explained how business classes will only have more and more group projects and presentations as time goes on. She advised that if I didn’t think my group was the best group I could be in, then I should look for better.
I only know ten, maybe fifteen business majors by name right now. For starters, my project group, comprised of friends I made on that one day during orientation. I know a few QFs too, because of that day. But after hearing that from her, I knew I needed to make more friends. Saying I write for the Stute is always a great conversation starter. Even if they ask, “What’s the Stute?“, I’d still consider them for my dream team. Being inquisitive is a good quality for a team member.
This brings me to another subject: If you find someone painful, should you cut them off? Or should you hold on to them in case their friendship could benefit you later? When trying to study with distracting people, I want to say “Stop talking and focus!” It may hurt their feelings, so I hesitate. Maybe I shouldn’t force friendship. Even though we’re a small school, it might be better lose people that give me additional stress. But it’s only first semester, so I’m still thinking about that.
Also this semester I was enrolled in LEADS, in which we learned about diversity, leadership styles, personality types, and so on. I highly recommend it. After studying all of that, I feel more confident in myself and my abilities. I was thinking about how in high school, some people would get positions just because of seniority. Seniors would justify their past “experience” as why they are more qualified, but no one younger was present to validate that. Then, I was complacent. For now, I don’t expect much. Probably will still be a slave to this club next semester. Really, when someone says they read The Stute, even just for class, it gives me purpose.
It’s a lot to manage! For me, for everyone as finals come near. Thanksgiving is seriously the calm before the storm. Now that the storm is here, how will you prepare? Don’t drink too much (coffee), and please sleep and eat! Don’t get excited over winter break; we’re still very much here. It’s not gonna be okay, unless you make choices that ensure it will. (Don’t read the paper, study!)
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