I cannot believe I’m going into senior year. It’s a feeling I’ve been anticipating, but it’s come so fast. I thought sophomore year was the most transitional of my life, but it was just the beginning.
Moving back to in-person learning and moving away from my hometown once again taught me many lessons. I got to build the friendships I made online and meet people for the first time face-to-face. I got to be on-campus again and relive my freshman experience. I got to relish college culture after being distanced from it for so long.
Reorienting myself back to an in-person routine was tougher than I expected it to be. Once I got back into the flow of things, I realized that I’m where I’m supposed to be. But there were moments when I would find myself trying to make up for the time that was lost by the pandemic, by being there for everything and anything. I wanted to fill my schedule with an excessive amount of commitments, be at every event, and never miss a fun time. Quickly, I learned that overstressing myself was not good. I grew and adapted to what I want for myself socially, professionally, and educationally, coming to bigger realizations in these past couple of semesters than I ever have.
To junior year, you taught me so much. You showed me the people I can lean on and who I want to surround myself with. You allowed me to live freely and have fun. You pushed me and challenged me in every aspect of my life. You made me a better person by throwing lessons my way that allowed me to come into more of my truth. You’ve given me opportunities that have helped me advance toward my goals. While reflecting on the whirlwind of this past year, I’ve realized important things about people and life, which have helped me personally develop.
Junior year gave me independence, maturity, new friends, good and not-so-good memories that’ll stick with me, and a clearer vision of what I want for my future. I’ve focused more on my goals, and recognized things holding me back. I’ve identified things I’ve needed to cut from my life and things I want to embrace more in the next year to come. While remote learning states away, it was easy to seclude myself from the unexpected happenings of life that push you to be a better person. Junior year allowed me to face meaningful life lessons that didn’t know I needed.
I’m grateful for what I’ve learned, what I’ve stressed over, what’s brought me down, what’s picked me up, and how all of it has changed me in numerous ways. From in-person classes, navigating living in a dorm, the mask mandate being lifted, socializing with new people, turning 21, and finally feeling like a UMass student again. I’m not sure if I’m more excited or nervous about being a rising senior, I think it’s a mixing pot of both. But what I do know is that I’m more ready to face it than ever, and looking forward to what’s in store.
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