As we approach the closing of the Fall 2021 semester, I find this to be the perfect time to reflect on the semester and my takeaways from the past five semesters I have been enrolled in college.
This semester was, for me, the first semester being back in person since my first semester ever of college, Fall 2019. Being brought back to reality, in some sense, was difficult. Going back to taking in-person paper exams, seeing campus at full capacity, and wondering where all the time went. I will not lie, this semester was challenging. I had to revert to more in depth studying methods I used prior to the pandemic and honestly had to push myself to get out of my comfort zone when it came to making friends. It seemed as though since the pandemic, everyone was just looking for someone. A friend. I realized that and it made the return to socializing much more comforting.
As I stated previously, this was my fifth semester of college. The thought of being closer to the end of college than the beginning is absolutely terrifying. Especially considering this is technically my second semester physically in person and on campus. Due to the loss of college experiences from COVID-19 online schooling, I have come to recognize just how short my time here is. I have made it my goal to attend all of my classes each day just to see and fully grasp the feeling of being a student at the University of Texas. This past semester I definitely developed a sense of gratitude with where I am at and all that I have accomplished. I will not be taking one day I am here on campus for granted.
Another takeaway I have from this semester was one that I find to be the most important. Throughout high school, education always came relatively easy to me. I never had to study or even stress about an exam. However, when I began my enrollment at UT Austin, that mindset had to change. This past semester I took a course that was difficult for me. When it came to the first exam, I studied a few days in advance with flashcards and reviewed lecture notes and figured I would be set. Well, I was wrong. I received a score I did not like and it really took a toll on my mental health. This class became everything I could think about and one that made me feel unintelligent knowing that other people understood the course material. I realized that what you put in is what you get. I had not put as much effort into the class because I was expecting a high score simply because that was how it always came to me. I took it upon myself to attend my professor’s office hours, took thorough notes, and began using active recall as a study strategy. From there, my exam scores continued to increase significantly.
Overall, the college experience is about learning real-world lessons. My dad always jokes with me about referring to college as a “simulation.” Which, when you think of it, it is. It is a city-like area full of individuals all around the same age all trying to find their place in the world. While this semester was difficult, I learned so many great things. Everyone needs a friend. Go out of your comfort zone. Experience campus life. Try new studying techniques. Make the best memories you can because these four short years will be over before you know it.