Have you ever wished you could just hop into a time machine and tell your first-year self secrets on how to survive now that you’re on the other side? Maybe give yourself a slap on the back of the head for drinking too much that one night, or to study harder for that really important exam? Maybe there was a person that you didn’t have the guts to talk to, and wish you had?
Knowing the things you know now, perhaps you would have done things a little differently, or changed the path you started on, or maybe you’d do everything exactly the same.
I talked to some fellow Carleton students who shared their thoughts on what they’d tell themselves if they were back in first year.
DON’T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET
… keep your options open.
If I were to have a conversation with my first-year self, I’d tell him to not get caught up with one person and to always keep your options open. Don’t let grades define you. Don’t let switching majors worry you. Over 70% of students change majors before graduating, so it’s not a big deal. Don’t be afraid to get involved, to take a risk and put yourself out there, for example being a facilitator for Frosh Week. Take care of your body: unhealthy living habits like drinking a lot and eating at the cafeteria every day doesn’t agree with your body or your wallet. Recognize the factors that will make your time not worthwhile. Again, don’t devote all your time and effort on one person and let the rest of important university life slip by.
– Mario Pizzuto, 3rd Year Linguistics
BALANCE WORK AND PLAY
… and perfect your “swagger”.
Looking back to over four years ago, it seems like everything has changed entirely in life and fundamentally who I am as a person. University is as much about learning new skills as it is about individual growth. That said, this still begs the question, what would I tell my first-year self?
Walk with a bit more swagger around campus (and that’s not a reference to the current definition: overpriced trackpants, Nike shoes, with a cheap graphic T-shirt and Canada Goose Jacket, topped off with a firm layer of arrogance). Enjoy and explore the campus more, engage more with people in different circumstances, take part in more extra-curricular events, and not to shy away from asking for help or exploring different student resources. Especially as second year led to third, I began to strike a better balance between school, family, friends and partying etc. Some lessons are better not learned the hard way… enjoy it. From the long days, to the coffee filled all-nighters, early morning classes, to the stressful exam periods. It was all gravy looking back, even the ‘terrible classes.’ Four, or five, years goes by in a blink (or so it seems).
– Kyle Larsen, 5th year Commerce
STAY STRONG AND PUSH THROUGH THE HARD TIMES
…because it’ll be worth it in the end.
If I could tell my first-year self anything, I’d tell her to be strong, patient, and kind. I’d tell her that she is going to encounter many obstacles in the future and a few heartbreaks. I would tell her to be kind and loving to her parents because they genuinely care. I would tell her that in the next year, everything in her life will change. I’d also tell her that she’ll survive it, she’ll grow from it and she’s strong enough to deal with it. I would tell her to lose her high school mentality and become less catty and less gossipy. I would tell her to buy an agenda and make use of it. I would tell her that she’ll figure out the bus system eventually and that she will eventually be comfortable enough with herself to have fun. I would tell her that she will meet some pretty amazing people. Lastly, I’d tell her to hang in there and be thankful for what she has. I wouldn’t tell her too much, though, because I wouldn’t want to spoil it.
– Samatha Lapierre, 3rd year Communications
Now what would YOU tell your first-year self? Leave a comment below!
Photo source:
http://www.bridgeport.edu/Medi…
http://thumbnails.hulu.com/151/50096151/211013_512x288_generated.jpg