It’s impossible to be positive all the time, especially when approaching change. As us college students begin the transition from the blissful, easy-going vibes of summer to the busy, bustling college environment, it can be hard to get back into a school-year state of mind. Even worse, we might find ourselves dreading the day we head back to UTM. It’s easy to see why we’re so happy during summer break, but we have plenty of reasons to look at the new school year just as positively.
First of all, we have new opportunities to get involved. Each school year offers new chances for joining new clubs, trying new activities, setting up new habits and connecting with new people. Also, we can push ourselves to get more involved in the activities we’re already a part of. I have a goal to add at least one new activity each semester while making sure I also increase my involvement in my other activities. This way, I make each school year more interesting than the last, and that helps me stay positive since I have plenty of activities to enjoy.
Another reason that’s really big for me is being able to spend time with UT Martin friends. It’s great to hang out with old friends from home, but after high school, it’s hard to maintain a deep connection. The conversations begin to mostly consist of polite small talk, stories from college, and reminiscing about high school. With college friends, though, connecting comes a lot easier. Often, we have the same interests and understand each other’s present instead of just knowing each other’s past. College friends are the ones who we spend most of our time with while at school, and it’s a great feeling to see them after a long summer.
Finally, a new school year is a perfect time to work on self-improvement. There’s a commercial on television in which school kids recite their goals and cheer “happy school year!” I like the idea of that because I feel like a new school year is a great time to create new goals. Of course, self-improvement can start at any time, but a new school year provides an easy way to stick to those goals. For example, if someone’s goal is to make better grades, what better time to start than at the beginning of classes? Furthermore, if someone’s goal is to get in better shape, the gym and pool are available for them to workout. Creating good habits requires consistency, and having a regular schedule gives people the opportunity to establish a plan for fulfilling their goals.
It’s no secret that the demands of college life can be exhausting and stressing, but it’s important to remember that there’s a lot of positive things in college, too. If we go into the new school year only thinking about the negatives, then we’ll just feel miserable. However, if we go into the new school year with a positive attitude looking at the good things school has to offer, we’ll enjoy our time a lot more. This year, let’s remember the positives of a new school year and think about our own individual positives as well. Happy school year!