College Priorities
When I began college, for some reason everyone seemed to be helpful. The university staff, professors, and even the upperclassmen were nothing short of supportive. I received mentors, specific advisors, and even academic coaches. Using these resources, I was able to create a schedule for study times and establish a pattern of organizing and prioritizing. My methods and plans were so efficient that they allowed me to adequately fit in parties and social events.
However, in the past two years, I have been the most stressed and overwhelmed that I have ever been in college. My parents assure me the stress is a direct result from the intense science courses that I take. But I beg to differ. I believe the origin of my stress is a result of no longer having access to the resources I once had as a freshman and not knowing how to exactly respond to that. It is very true that no one watches over your shoulder to check your work in college. No one is there to wake you up for class because you decided to take, what was supposed to be a 7 minute nap in the middle of the day, before the next lecture. Your mother no longer calls your doctor to schedule your annual appointments. (And if she still does, then my friend, you are not growing up at all.) Absolutely no one can tell you when to go out, how to go out, and what to do when you go out. Sometimes, your friends want to go to a party and you have a class early the next morning. Sometimes you take that chance and decide to go out, and risk being too hungover to attend lecture.
Point being, you literally have yourself once you step foot onto campus. Ultimately, if you want to be successful, you have to want to succeed for yourself. It is vital to say “No.” and not fall back on it. It is okay that some of the people you hang with do not study as much as you. That just means you should reevaluate the company you surround yourself with. I have stopped hanging out with some people because their goals and motivations were not similar or the same as mine. That’s okay. But what is not okay, were the times I compromised my classes, assignments, and more importantly, my grades for people that did not want what I want out of life.
In two weeks, I will be starting my fourth and final year of my undergraduate studies. I have learned a tremendous amount about myself and my personal abilities. The credit is not owed to solely my professors and department staff, but to my personal experiences, the relationships I’ve built and destroyed, and the lessons learned from it all. I do not need a mentor, a specific advisor, nor an academic coach to be a success. I need to be focused, quick to adjust, and determined to excel. College has taught me to make myself a priority before anyone and anything else.