At this time last year, I was closing my first full month of my first year of college ever.
Freshman year was exciting. Everything and everyone was new, and the shock of living on my own for the first time still hadn’t worn off yet. Every day was filled with new friends and new campus discoveries, and I felt like the excitement and the fun would never end. This year feels different. As a Sophomore now, the shiny newness of college has worn off a bit, and the work and pressure of deciding what comes after college has kicked in. Although it is still early, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that summer internship applications are opening, and that not knowing what you want to do with your life post-college may be a problem.
I declared my English major at the end of second semester last year, which I, and many others, may consider late. This semester, I decided to enroll in two English courses in order to make up for being “behind” in the major. I’ve also taken it upon myself to sign up for every club that even slightly piqued my interest, jampacking my days with classes, meetings, and endless studying. Somewhere between balancing the workload of two intensive writing classes and attending career events that didn’t correlate with my desired career path in the slightest, I’ve realized that all this stress and anxiety about the future isn’t necessary or worth it. While I’m no longer a freshman who can get away with not having a clue or care about knowing what she wants to do with the rest of her life, I’m still young and in my early years of college and of life. Instead of spending my time working myself to the bone to supposedly help my future self, I should focus on living in the present and taking care of my present self. I’ve learned to accept that it’s okay to not be the most involved person on campus, and that it’s just as important to set aside time for myself as it is to set aside time for working.
My message to all sophomores (and upperclassmen) would be this:
Just because we’re getting older and responsibilities are weighing heavier on us doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to have fun. No matter how important or looming the future may feel, we’re still young, and we should enjoy our youth while it’s still here.