After my first semester at Millersville, I wrote an article about everything I learned in my semester year of college. It was exciting and new, but also had some hardships and losses. I decided that I would again sit down, reflect on everything I learned this year, and share it with you all. So, this is what I learned in my second year of college.
Standing Up for Yourself Pays Off
I’ve always been one of those people who suffers in silence and takes everything that is given to me. Standing up for myself was something that I didn’t think was always necessary and I never wanted to hurt anyone’s feelings in the process. This year, I dealt with a tense experience while living on campus. It was affecting my grades, my comfort, and my happiness. It finally got to a point where I felt that enough was enough and I got what I needed for me, and me only. At first, I felt bad but I realized that it was worth it.
You Should Make More Friends
It’s so important to make a community for yourself and surround yourself with positive people. I think one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself was becoming even more involved with Her Campus. I became a lot closer with the girls in our chapter and they are some of the best people I could ever ask to be my friends. They are always there to celebrate with me and to cry with me.
Run for that Executive Board Position
If you are involved in a club you love and are passionate about, you should definitely run for their exec board! This year I was the secretary for Her Campus Millersville and I was able to give others the same experience it gave me. I love being able to participate in everything we do and to be more involved as a whole. It’s truly a rewarding experience that I will forever be grateful for.
If You Need Help, Get it
I spent the majority of my fall semester seeing a therapist on a weekly basis. I had some problems that I needed help working out and it did so much for me in the long run. It helped me figure out some ways I can improve my day to day life. It also helped solve some of the bigger issues I was having. Plus, I knew that no matter what situation I was going through, I had someone who could help rationalize my feelings and work through whatever I needed.
Just Do It
Okay this one is super vague and is not sponsored by Nike. I let a lot hold me back in the past, even from little things. Sometimes there are things that you want to do but it can be daunting or uncomfortable. You should just do it. You want to say hi to that person in your club meeting and become friends? Just do it! You want to eat a pint of ice cream in bed instead of getting ahead on homework? Just do it! Life is about having fun and making memories. You don’t have to spend all of it on doing school or work all of the time. Life is about balance, so have some fun and do the things you want.
One of the biggest things I’ve tried to do this year was to live in the moment and make memories. I struggled through my freshman year and really don’t have much to say about anything I did. I don’t feel like I did anything fun or exciting. I challenged myself to make some memories and have experiences I would want to tell my kids about in the future.
HCXO, Jenna