even though college is “the best 4 years of your life,” it’s normal to have some regrets
I try to live life with no regrets, however with the end of senior year approaching it’s hard to look back at my college years and not think that there are some things I could have done differently. These are my regrets, and though I am still happy with the way everything turned out, I wish I would have done these things a bit differently.
1. Not exploring past campus more my freshman year
Looking at my current favorites in Madison as of today, I love to get off campus. The days I spend exploring the outskirts or by the capital are my favorite, but these are all parts of Madison I did not begin to explore until sophomore year at best, maybe even junior year. I went to Picnic Point once as a freshman and that’s the extent of it. I wish I had gone out and explored the surrounding area more. Sure, I got to know campus quite well, but I could have gotten such a bigger overview on Madison so much earlier, and found places that I love today much earlier as well.
2. Stacking classes to have days off
This semester I have what I think is a superior schedule. I only have classes three days a week with classes from Tuesday to Thursday. I am absolutely exhausted by the end of the week, so nothing is better than a four day weekend. Though it may not have always been possible, I wish I had stacked my classes better earlier. I remember freshman year I had one hour of blocked breaks between each of my classes, which meant I could only really walk to my next class, wait there and maybe begin work. Had I stacked my classes, maybe I would have had more time to explore or been able to use my own breaks more productively. My most elite schedule was when I studied abroad and had Wednesdays and Thursdays off, such random days but it made it so that I never had more than 2 days of classes at a time, which was amazing.
3. Working a job freshman year
I love my job, I love the friends I have made from it and whenever I go into work and begin to think about how it is my last semester there I get so sad. A lot of my friends at work worked there when I was a freshman, so a large part of me wishes I had also started working there earlier (as opposed to sophomore year). Starting earlier would have meant becoming friends with everyone sooner (plus making money which is always amazing) and had given me more time at a place I honestly love.
4. Living by the Capital
I think the capital area is my favorite part of Madison. Though I currently live about a 30 minute walk away, I still manage to find myself in that area super often. Don’t get me wrong, I love living with all of my friends and I am super close to my friend group. However, there are days that I wish I had gotten to experience living by the capital for at least a little bit. I think I would have really enjoyed the vibe (since its students but also some adults), and would have loved to be so close to so many of my favorite establishments. I also believe that every part of Madison where people can live has such a different vibe and energy, so part of me wishes I could have experienced a different tone (rather than living in the same one Junior to senior year). Though I am super happy where I am, I can’t help but wonder.
5. Saying yes to more things
This one is so silly but saying yes to everything! When you are studying abroad people tell you to say yes to everything you can, and you live by that and have a great time. In Madison, however, you feel like you have so much time so there’s no reason to say yes to everything. Although rest is important, I look back and there are so many little things I wish I would have said yes to. Whether it be trying a random restaurant or going to a random social event, those are memories that could have been made. And in my mind, the more possible memories the better.
6. Switching out the clubs I was involved in
Freshman year I was super involved and joined so many clubs and organizations. I then realized that I only really liked about half of them, got super burnt out and stayed in about two. However, instead of just stopping most of my clubs, I wish I had gotten engaged with and joined other clubs like the cheese club or the ski club. I think I was just so intimidated by the fact that I was no longer a freshman, meaning it was too late to join that I did not. However, I wish I would have tried to since there are so many cool organizations on campus I would have loved to be a part of.
Now with all of these in mind, there is not one that I regret that has made me dislike my college experience. I am so happy with the way everything turned out and would not change anything, however that does not mean that sometimes my wandering doesn’t get the best of me. But I truly do believe everything works out the way it’s meant to be, and for that I am so grateful.