I know everyone is in the midterms heat right now (despite it being 30 degrees outside in Davis). It feels like when you take one test, two more pile up on you. Midterm season feels never-ending, and the truth is, in the quarter system, it is!
When the midterms and papers begin flooding your plate, it’s so easy to begin complaining about everything that goes wrong in your day.
But trust me, courses aren’t designed to make you fail. The quarter system moves fast on purpose, so you can push yourself and learn information within a short time period. College is supposed to challenge you in ways your mind hasn’t been bent before.
When you feel like you want to drop out and live in a tiny-home in the Santa Cruz mountains, remember why you’re at college. Here are a couple reasons to remind you how to love college, even when you hate it.
1. Pursuing higher education is a privilege.
College is expeeensive, with three e’s. No matter how many scholarships are out there, many people in the United States do not have the financial means to go to college. There are places around the world that do not have the infrastructure to send young children to grade school. Right now, someone across the globe, or down the street from you, is dreaming of going to school. So, don’t waste this opportunity. Go to college so you can learn how to make dreams of education a reality for people around the world.
2. College is a financial investment.
If you are taking 16 units (which is typically four classes at UC Davis), your tuition breaks down into around $1,200 per class. Break that down even further, and most classes will average around $120 per week in the course. Bottom line, college has a price tag on it. However, you’re spending the thousands of dollars right now, so you can make thousands of dollars in the future. So, the next time you’re thinking of skipping class, just remember you may be wasting about $40 a day.
3. You chose this school for a reason.
Regardless of what college you attend, there’s a reason why you chose to go to that school. Maybe it was the chaotic cycling, or the fact that you could have a dorm room right next to the beach, or be 15 minutes away from Hollywood ─ just remember why you chose to come to your school in the first place.
4. You’re going to look back once you’ve graduated and wish you would’ve done more.
I am only a sophomore in college, but I already feel like there’s not enough time in four years to learn about everything I am interested in. My schedule is packed from morning to night with classes, extracurriculars, and study time. When I graduate, I want to feel like I never wasted a day.
There’s more to college than the classes, the parties, and the all-nighters. You learn to love the people around you, your favorite study spot in the Coho, and the little squirrels that steal your food outside. Loving your college is about fully immersing yourself in the experience and not letting the busy midterm season get you down.