At the beginning of last school year, I told my friends, “Second year feels like the place to be — you’re not an upperclassman yet, but you’ve found your people and don’t have to go through the trial by fire that was freshman year again.”
As I wrap up my second year of college, I wish I could slow down time. How am I already about to be a third-year? What do you mean I have to start looking for full-time jobs soon? At heart, I still feel like a 16-year-old girl.
While I met many of my closest friends during my freshman year, I’m blessed to have made so many more connections this past school year, and I know there are still plenty to come over the next two years. Last semester, I befriended two of the sweetest girls in my 8 a.m. Genetics lab, while also getting to know others through classes and the tour guide organization, Husky Ambassadors. I met even more wonderful people after joining the musical theater club.
Academically, my second-year classes definitely pushed me. Last semester, I took Organic Chemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Calculus I and Intermediate Programming with Data. Chemistry has never been my strongest subject, and Organic Chemistry brought a new level of difficulty for me. To make matters worse, I was involved in a show for the musical theater club that was put on during finals week, and I had 8 a.m. exams the mornings after each performance. While long rehearsal hours made it especially hard to find time to study, it taught me important lessons about time management. Due to this hectic schedule, I had to plan my days down to the minute, blocking out time to eat and study. I learned so much about prioritization, something I’ll practice for the rest of my life.
My friends and I moved into an off-campus apartment at the beginning of last school year. It was an exciting step, but also a stressful one — moving is always a hassle, and dealing with unexpected maintenance issues was a rather unpleasant surprise. Our dishwasher constantly flooded throughout the beginning of our time in our new place, but I’m happy to report that it has since been replaced (shoutout to our maintenance crew!).
It feels like we moved into the apartment ages ago, even though it’s been less than a year. During that time, I recognized the power of Google Calendar, survived Organic Chemistry, developed a newfound appreciation for matcha and started my co-op search. Most recently, I was beyond excited to participate in another study abroad program this summer.
Of course, my sophomore year was far from smooth sailing. There were countless moments of stress, from late-night study sessions to looming deadlines, and you couldn’t pay me to return to some of the classes I took last semester. Still, looking back on the experience, I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I’ve learned more about time management and when to ask for help, and I have grown as a person significantly. There are still many more lessons to be learned, but I cannot wait to see what lies ahead as an upperclassman.Â