I can’t help but be in denial: I am ACTUALLY wrapping up my UC Davis career! Although I should be exhilarated, I feel like I’m parting with a close companion. Some of my happiest memories were captured between these four years, and while I am struggling to remind myself there is a new beginning, I thought I can look back on this monumental period of my life and give current and future Aggies my college advice.
1. Bag that 4.0 GPA Your Freshman Year
In my first year of college, I struggled to get my professional and social life off the ground. I was worried that this lack of success set me up for failure, but instead, I established a solid GPA. It’s more strenuous to bring your GPA up than it is to drop it, and classes only get harder as you get older. My upperclassmen-self felt incredibly thankful that I knocked out more classes and built a strong academic foundation, because I could significantly lighten my academic workload in the future and balance it with the extracurriculars I thought I couldn’t earn. Campus involvement is crucial, but don’t feel pressured to load your resume so early on. It is better to load up on academics early, and reap the benefits later.
2. Attending Social Activities is Still Being Productive
Learning when and how to prioritize all aspects of life is important. Without sacrificing school, I made sure to attend as many social gatherings as possible, because I knew I could not make excuses my whole life. It may be a birthday party vs midterm now, but in the future, it could be your child’s concert vs a work assignment. I always fulfilled my academic responsibilities beforehand, and if I didn’t, I would take accountability on test day and use failure as a reminder to never be irresponsible again. I valued social gatherings as much as my academics, because I knew those meaningful connections are what brought color to my life. They showed me new interests, perspectives, and values I never had before. They taught me how to love, care, and communicate. Don’t miss out on these profound experiences just for midterm after midterm: learn the art of balancing both.
3. Diversify Your Social Circles
I always struggled to form solid friend groups, so when I found my crew of six girlfriends, I thought all was restored. News flash: that friend group fell apart within six months. We’re talking jealousy, stonewalling, boy drama, all the cringey Disney Channel teenage tropes. Sometimes, high school drama does not stay in high school, so it’s best to diversify your social outlets. I could get support from other friends, as well as observe what healthy friendships look like and know when to step out of a situation that doesn’t serve me well.
4. The Best Gift To Have is Self-Direction
I didn’t have much motivation as I would trudge over to my 8PM labs, write and rewrite applications that led to dead ends, or drag myself into the dining commons while pitying my lack of friends. Then a lightbulb went off in my head. I finally discovered my values and intertwined them with an actionable plan. I saw myself surpassing unbelievable hurdles. Furthermore, I began making bold decisions independent of external influences like family, friends, or general society. When you find a life purpose, and when you devote yourself to that cause, it gives you a reason to wake up every morning, slog through laborious nights, and jump through flaming hoops. I never agreed with the sentiment “it’s ok to not know what you want,” because rather than spending thousands of dollars just to stumble through darkness, that time and money can be invested towards discovering such a pivotal part of yourself.
Conclusion
College can be one heck of a joy ride. You will make mistakes, earn great achievements, laugh, cry, and all the above. It’ll be a mess, but a beautiful one. Don’t forget how much you fought to reach this point in your life. If I could leave my past self with only one piece of advice, I would tell her: “Don’t change a single step you took. It all set you up to be the most authentic version of yourself.”