I am a senior at UMass Amherst who tried to make the most of my college experience while on lockdown during a pandemic. Although I lost a year and a half of in-person classes and activities to Zoom, I dedicated the rest of my once-in-a-lifetime journey to making myself happy, healthy, and making as many core memories as possible. As much as I would like, we cannot go back in time. However, here is what I would do differently if I could.
Something that I wish that I did not get into the habit of doing when I entered college is going to bed late. For the majority of college, I have been going to bed late and having to wake up early for class. I have been suffering from sleep deficiency which affects my mood, appetite, energy, motivation, productivity, social life, etc. By going to bed earlier, not only will these issues improve, but also I will be a happier person and start my day positively. This is even important on the weekends because when I wake up earlier, I’m able to complete more tasks within my day, making my life easier, more productive, and full of energy.
A big thing that I wish that I had done at the beginning of every semester is to make a friend on the first day of class or within the first week of class. Having a friend in your class is more important and essential than you may think because it is really nice to be able to confirm with a friend when deadlines are, confirm what the professor is expecting, and always have a friendly face when working on group assignments. It is better to have two people keep track of the professor’s emails, especially when class is canceled and you did not see the email at seven in the morning. For some people, the best way to learn is with another person; therefore, having a study buddy before exams can be extremely beneficial. This way, you can help each other understand the material better. In terms of missing a class, some professors do not record the lectures and they rely on the student to receive notes from another classmate in order to not fall behind in the class. But most importantly, having a friend to talk to before class starts and get food with afterward makes me happy, and I value my friendships with my classmates because I get excited to see them every day.
Before it is too late, I recommend researching all of the resources that UMass Amherst has to offer. When I was struggling to pay my medical bills, I wish I had known that the university offers microgrants for people battling with an emergency. When I was taking out student loans, I wish that I had known that I could talk to someone who would help me apply for scholarships. Did you know that with your student email, you have a free subscription to The New York Times? Yeah…I wish I knew that too. Did you know that your UDebit works at the Mullins Center box office, the Stop and Shop grocery store, and Antonio’s Pizza? It is crazy to think that I could have used my UDebit money for other things than just laundry and vending machines.
One of the most important life lessons that I wish I had learned at the beginning of my academic journey is balancing my academics, jobs, and social life. Since my sophomore year, I have consistently had two or three jobs. I am a waitress, bartender, teaching assistant, and a social media, marketing, and administrative assistant. On top of my rigorous work schedule, I am a full-time college student, a Her Campus chapter board member, and I seek a fun and adventurous social life. How do I balance this?
Unfortunately, I learned the hard way. I quickly discovered that when I was working too much on homework assignments and at my job, I tended to lose more sleep and neglect my mental health. I wish that I focused on doing more self-care practices and making sure to not overwork myself as much. I still challenge myself to learn new things, take harder classes, and jump outside of my comfort zone. However, I also have learned to try to prioritize myself and my well-being just as much. I used to never allow myself to have free time; if I was not at work or doing homework, I felt lazy and did not allow my body to relax. I wish my sophomore and junior year self knew that it was okay to watch Netflix, hang out with friends, take a nap, or go to the movie theater. If I could restart college, I would have allowed myself to make more core memories with my friends by not overworking myself. What helped me later on was writing down all of my classes, assignments, work schedules, and meetings in a planner and making an informed decision on what I can and cannot efficiently achieve. A thought that always went through my head was: Yes, I can do that, but will it be too much for me? Nine out of 10 times, the answer was yes. Sometimes I would push myself beyond my limits, and quickly realize that I cannot give my 100 percent into everything if I do not give myself an hour to recharge.
You only get to experience college once, so try to make the most out of it by expanding your education, advancing your career, and taking opportunities, but not at the expense of your well-being.
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