Making the most of college matters, even when it feels impossible.
On the first day of my fourth semester, I posted a Snapchat to my private story: āSophomore Slump is coming for me.ā Thereās a lot of discourse about burnt-out former gifted āIām a mirrorballā kids. At the moment, I feel like I fit the brand. Iāve had slumps before. This is not new for me. After all, I was a second-semester high school senior once upon a time. So combatting this feeling is not foreign, but it does take work.Ā
I overcommitted myself this semester. I feel too involved: socially and academically. The thing is, everything I am involved in is great! I love the things to which I am committed whether itās writing articles for Her Campus, planning recruitment for Alpha Phi Omega, or letting my creative side shine in my journalism classes. Let me be the first to tell you that itās possible to be so in love with the life youāre living and also feel wholly and completely overwhelmed. Thatās normalāespecially in college. The first step to understanding the feeling is accepting it.Ā
I have issues with how tightly I grasp onto responsibilities. Itās not that I donāt think my peers are just as capable as I am but I also know my work ethic and the quality of my work more completely. So, regularly, I fail to successfully delegate tasks to people who WANT to help. Take for example my lovely, lovely roommate who is my co-Vice President of Recruitment for Alpha Phi Omega. Sheās incredible at all she does and yet there are times at which I feel the whole responsibility of making sure we have pledges this semester is on my back. Itās not. It falls on the two of us, and she cares just as much, if not more about making this a great semester. Iām learning to delegate. Itās an important, yet incredibly difficult thing to do. Of course, you have to be careful about who you delegate to. Not everyone cares as much as you do. But once you successfully identify those people, lean on them. Theyāve got you.
WheneverĀ Iām home for breaks I waitress at a restaurant called YaYas Euro Bistro (if you ever come get the Roast Chicken or the Penne Pasta ā trust). The clientele is generally older, and when I tell them Iām in school at Mizzou they often say the same thing: āSavor it. Those are the best years of your life.āĀ
I donāt know that this is entirely true and I think good years are yet to come but there is a semblance of truth to that sentiment. We only get to be in college for four years. We only get to do so much at school, and how privileged am I to be stressed over assignments and how to balance social events? That is the last part of how I overcome the stress that so often accompanies being in school and the balancing act that comes along with it. Iām trying to replace my anxiety with gratitude.
Iām grateful for my friends, grateful for this school and what it has given me and grateful for my life. Iām meant to be here, and I will be ok as long as I take it day by day and work hard.