After finishing my last exam, I wished I had asked my parents to pick me up that night instead of the following day. I was completely worn out socially, emotionally, physically, and basically in every way that you could possibly be fatigued. I could have been the inspiration for Grumpy the Dwarf 2.0. The stress had taken over, and I just wanted to leave my dorm room, which had served as my study headquarters for the past few weeks. After I was picked up, the reality dawned on me that I was not only leaving the stress, but also my friends, independence, and otherwise very homey dorm room.
The first few days of break were spent getting well-deserved rest, which was understandable. However, as the holiday progressed, I did not return to a normal routine. Of course, it is reasonable to sleep in a little extra and be less productive on winter break, but I went from full speed to a complete stop in a matter of days.
I have always functioned better under pressure—perks of being a chronic procrastinator. Unfortunately, this also means that I cannot operate without an approaching deadline. So, I entered break with a short to-do list and could not bear to look at it until the night before returning to campus. Sadly, the tasks required too much brain power to be done at night, and they still have not been attempted to this day. Anyway, this is all to say that I had an exceptionally unproductive break.
Although I enjoyed spending time with my family over break, I was ecstatic to be back at college. Immediately, I got sushi from my favorite place on Washington Street, Robongi Restaurant, and savored every spoonful of miso soup. I got this meal often in the first semester and had become accustomed to having it available whenever I wanted, all through the beloved Grubhub app. Being over 150 miles away from Hoboken made me appreciate the conveniences of being just a few streets down from Washington Street.
The first few days back were spent soaking up every moment of socializing. I never thought of myself as an extrovert. I always assumed that I was somewhere in between, but the energy I gained from seeing my friends again was unmatched. I have savored every second of socialization and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Before college, everyone said it would be the best days of my life, and now I understand why. Living in the same building as your friends is an unparalleled experience.
This semester, I am determined to appreciate every single second of being a freshman. Studying and exams are not exactly enjoyable, but even those things can be hyped up if you try hard enough. Studying is always better with friends, outside, or while enjoying good snacks. Exams are just a final wrap-up, so you can have a fresh start in a new class. All of these things are easier said than done, but I am determined to make them a reality, and I hope you try too. Life is too short to spend every weekday waiting for the weekend, and every weekend waiting for the next vacation.
Mind of a Freshman is an Opinion column written by one or two first-year Stevens students to discuss life experiences during their time at Stevens, and other related subject matter.
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