As the rainy season and the low clouds mask this small city, we start round two of our first year at Stevens. The clouds may hang low, but I hope that we all start this new semester with high hopes. No matter how last semester may have turned out, this first month marks the beginning of new opportunities. We have not only learned about what it means to be in college, but we have also learned more about ourselves. How do we function without a sense of comfort? What drives us to accomplish things beyond just school work? As we trod carefully through these fresh (actually, probably polluted) waters last semester, we all may have made some mistakes along the way. It’s hard not to when you are thrown into an unfamiliar world with certain expectations of success. Regardless of the decisions we may have made, it is important not to fall into the loop of regret. Instead, let those decisions be a stepping stone to a better, more experienced version of you. So, in the spirit of learning, here are three things that I have come to realize about college.
Firstly, the true meaning of independence. “Independence” is probably one of the first words that come to mind when describing the college experience. It’s freeing to realize that you are finally in control of your own life. However, there are so many moments when you yearn for a sense of dependency. Whether it’s looking for someone to listen to your rants or someone to make you feel cared for, living by yourself teaches you the importance of relationships with others. Sometimes it’s easier to take care of others than truly focus on yourself, but independence comes with the responsibility of understanding and acknowledging what you need and want, and that is probably one of the hardest things to do.
Secondly, what it means to know your limits. There are a lot of things that I want to accomplish during my years at college. Oftentimes, I even feel a little over-ambitious because of the expectations I put on myself. So, I’ve come to realize that it is important to know how much I can accomplish within a certain amount of time. Without realizing this limit, you can get overwhelmed and constantly disappointed. In Albert Einstein’s words, “Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.”
Lastly, the art of procrastination. I think we all have struggled with this at one point or another. For me, it’s probably all the time. Even writing this piece took way longer than it should have. This problem is something that I am still trying to find a solution to. I think sometimes you just have to sit down and convince yourself to “just do it.” Listen to Shia LaBeouf. As part of my CAL 103 final paper last semester, I learned that humans get a sort of dopamine rush when they complete something. So in order to feel satisfied, we should all just complete our work. I know it’s easier said than done, but we can all work on it together.
We all make mistakes, what matters is whether or not we learn from them. So, to conclude this first opinion piece of the new semester, I wish you the best of luck for the new semester and hope you accomplish whatever you set your mind to :).
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