My previous years have taught me so much about myself and what I could get through. With my first year at Bowling Green out of the way, I finally felt settled and no longer had the “freshman” look and feel. I was hired as a Resident Advisor at Falcon Heights and looked forward to the year. I was so excited to create events, cute door decorations, and bulletin boards for my residents. I also got an internship with BGSU Dining, working around fifteen hours a week. Lastly, I was scheduled for eighteen credit hours for both the fall and the spring semesters. My plate was full with duty nights, workdays, and long readings and discussion posts. How could I possibly balance all this and continue living a healthy social life?
Finding the positives in what I do
Being a Resident Advisor was really fun. I met a lot of people on campus, making campus feel more like home. I got lucky to have such a great staff, making difficult situations less unbearable. My residents weren’t problematic and were overall grateful for everything we did for them. I would say the highlight of the year was having my dog, Maya, on campus. I was so nervous since she had never lived in a dorm and I wouldn’t know how she’d behave. Overall, she did pretty well! The residents loved petting her, and the other RAs loved having her at weekly meetings and fire drills. The commitment to being an RA was simple after the first two weeks. Every week, we followed a set schedule, except for scheduled weekend duty shifts. At times when things got hard, I learned to look towards the positive parts of my job. My staff was great and always kept things funny and entertaining.
My internship gave me insight into how different roles across the company come together to create something big. I had the chance to work on recruiting, onboarding, and employee termination, which gave me valuable hands-on experience. It was a great experience, and I loved working with the team. I had time to work on homework and stay ahead of all my commitments. They gave me a laid-back environment where I was not stressed out like in some of my previous work and internship experiences. Although I didn’t get paid much, I still learned valuable skills that I can carry on to my career. With each of my positions, I would take time to communicate how I was doing. I was honest; if I ever felt stressed out, I would talk to both and set a new plan. Even just ranting to someone about a problematic Professor or assignment can help make you feel better. Advice is what got me through Junior year, and I recommend everyone have a person to rant to.
Setbacks are NOT the end of the world; regroup and find a way
I had reapplied to become an RA for my senior year and planned not to pay for rent or groceries. I could continue helping residents and doing what I love. I had gone through the entire application process and was offered the job. I had told myself countless times that if I was given Kriescher, I would immediately decline on the spot. (Sorry, Krusty K warriors).  I did not want to go back to communal bathrooms, and I need air conditioning for Maya while I’m away. Due to my internship and classes, some days I would be away from the room for around eight hours. Kriescher was also a longer walk from all my classes and would be a pain to walk through during storms. When we received our assignments, I was absolutely devastated, as my plans were basically crushed right in front of me. Of course, I was assigned to Kriescher, and I knew I would have to decline. It was February, and most of the apartments already were full and no longer leasing. My friends had already made arrangements and weren’t looking for roommates. It just seemed like my entire plan was flipped over, and I was stressing myself out thinking about my future. Even though I was stressed, I decided it was best to decline the offer and form another plan.
Fast forward to Senior year, where I am happy with where I’m at. I’m living in a great apartment, with amazing (randomly assigned) roommates who adore Maya and love to help take care of her. My roommates all split the grocery cost, cleaning, and cooking to help with budgeting. I also have more free time to hang out with friends and actually live “the college experience” without being tied to the building. I was offered an amazing internship to help pay for the cost of the apartment and groceries.
Use a calendar or planner: Find time for the people you care about
My schoolwork during the fall semester wasn’t too bad. A couple of discussion posts here and a few quizzes there weren’t a problem. Which was why I scheduled myself eighteen credit hours again for the next semester. I think I just got super lucky with my professors in the fall semester, as I found myself with some of the strictest professors I’ve ever had in spring. I was pushed even harder, having to find ways to adapt to a schedule unforgiving of my prior commitments. Finding time to work on assignments while still holding myself accountable to my prior commitments. I’m completely convinced that Spring Semester is the worst semester in the Midwest. After Basketball and Hockey end, all the sports I’m interested in are out of season. It’s either super cold with snowstorms or insanely windy and wet conditions. Walking into class completely soaked and cold is one of the worst feelings. Every time it happens, I just want to turn back and go home. It’s a time when seasonal depression can hit students pretty hard. With my busy schedule, I rewarded myself for my achievements. Reminding myself that I’m working hard, I’ve achieved so much, and I can keep going.
After my experience in my freshman year, I refused to let my friendships dwindle just because I was busy. I made time for everyone and made sure I could keep in touch through phone calls, text messages, and creating plans when I had time. Even during times when I may not have reached out, my friends held me accountable and reached out to me. I’m so grateful to have such a good support system to help me get through that year.
Although this article isn’t anywhere near as crazy as my Freshman and Sophomore year reflections, I felt as if I still had to write on it to continue the streak. This article is extremely late, and I still cannot believe I’ve procrastinated this badly to the point that it’s the middle of the Fall semester! Every year, I create an article reflecting on the school year. I started my HER Campus journey at Michigan State University. Then, as I transferred to Bowling Green for the start of my Sophomore year, I looked to HER Campus to get involved. My Junior year, as you have read, didn’t leave much time for clubs and extracurriculars, so I had to take a step back. If you’d like to read about my sophomore and freshman years, you can find them in my highlights on my Instagram! Until next time! Â