I have just started the fall quarter of my second year of college, and it feels great to be back. I moved in on the 17th, and since classes didn't start until the 22nd, we had a lot of time to catch up with friends, go downtown, get textbooks, and just relax. Since freshman use that free time as an orientation week, they are always busy. However, since I am now a sophomore, I had that entire week free, which quickly led to boredom and anxiety as the start of classes grew closer. However, now that I have just completed my first week of classes, I wanted to write a blog post about how life has been as a second year college student, and how I see this quarter and the rest of the year going for me.
First off, I was super excited to start my classes. This quarter I am taking an upper division course for my major, as well as GE's and an intro class for a minor I am interested in. The first day of classes is always syllabus day; the professors go over the syllabus, tell you how excited they are to teach the class, and so on. The days after that, and for the rest of the quarter, are lecture days. Right off the bat, I knew the courses I am taking this quarter were going to be difficult; the material we cover on the syllabus and the readings I have done for homework tell me that the quarter is going to be stressful. I mean, classes have only been in session for 8 days and I am already behind on my homework.
I knew that this year was going to be difficult for me. Freshman year is typically a breeze; besides the struggle to adapt to a new environment, living with roommates, making new friends, and trying to do well in class, freshmen get to take all lower divisions, get to dabble in a variety of different majors, and get to experience all the opportunities the campus has to offer. However, as a second year, besides taking GE's, I am taking upper divisions for my major, classes that are very heavy on the reading and teach complex material. However, I am trying my best to stay on my feet. This year I have really had to manage my time efficiently straight away; I am taking harder classes as well as joining clubs, which will further limit the amount of time I get to spend studying and completing homework.
Despite all of this chaos, I am excited to see what this quarter has in store for me. I can tell I am already becoming sleep deprived due to the large amount of homework I have been assigned and the high frequency of coffee I have been drinking, but I am excited with the classes I have lined up for this quarter and cannot wait to learn all about the material taught in each one. Being a second year in college is definitely tough as we have to take more complex classes and are often busy with clubs, tutoring, etc. But there are also benefits. For example, as second years we typically know how to manage our time effectively, we already know how to navigate campus, we have experienced a lot of what the campus has to offer, and we have solid friend groups (although you should always be open to making new friends as well).
College is definitely tough. It is tough all four or five years you are here. Yes I did say earlier in the post how freshman have it easy. However, I am not completely accurate. Freshman can struggle in classes too, have an intense course load, and have to quickly learn how to manage their time if they become involved with extracurriculars (clubs, sports, etc.) and want to spend time with friends too. College can be intense and even a struggle for anyone from their freshman to senior year. However, despite these struggles, there are always benefits to being in college (making friends, joining clubs/extracurriculars, getting involved with your campus, etc.). For me, my time as a second year is going to be difficult and strenuous. But, I am confident it will also be filled with memories, laughs, and smiles. Everyone should make the most out of their college experience and have fun; I know I am.
First off, I was super excited to start my classes. This quarter I am taking an upper division course for my major, as well as GE's and an intro class for a minor I am interested in. The first day of classes is always syllabus day; the professors go over the syllabus, tell you how excited they are to teach the class, and so on. The days after that, and for the rest of the quarter, are lecture days. Right off the bat, I knew the courses I am taking this quarter were going to be difficult; the material we cover on the syllabus and the readings I have done for homework tell me that the quarter is going to be stressful. I mean, classes have only been in session for 8 days and I am already behind on my homework.
I knew that this year was going to be difficult for me. Freshman year is typically a breeze; besides the struggle to adapt to a new environment, living with roommates, making new friends, and trying to do well in class, freshmen get to take all lower divisions, get to dabble in a variety of different majors, and get to experience all the opportunities the campus has to offer. However, as a second year, besides taking GE's, I am taking upper divisions for my major, classes that are very heavy on the reading and teach complex material. However, I am trying my best to stay on my feet. This year I have really had to manage my time efficiently straight away; I am taking harder classes as well as joining clubs, which will further limit the amount of time I get to spend studying and completing homework.
Despite all of this chaos, I am excited to see what this quarter has in store for me. I can tell I am already becoming sleep deprived due to the large amount of homework I have been assigned and the high frequency of coffee I have been drinking, but I am excited with the classes I have lined up for this quarter and cannot wait to learn all about the material taught in each one. Being a second year in college is definitely tough as we have to take more complex classes and are often busy with clubs, tutoring, etc. But there are also benefits. For example, as second years we typically know how to manage our time effectively, we already know how to navigate campus, we have experienced a lot of what the campus has to offer, and we have solid friend groups (although you should always be open to making new friends as well).
College is definitely tough. It is tough all four or five years you are here. Yes I did say earlier in the post how freshman have it easy. However, I am not completely accurate. Freshman can struggle in classes too, have an intense course load, and have to quickly learn how to manage their time if they become involved with extracurriculars (clubs, sports, etc.) and want to spend time with friends too. College can be intense and even a struggle for anyone from their freshman to senior year. However, despite these struggles, there are always benefits to being in college (making friends, joining clubs/extracurriculars, getting involved with your campus, etc.). For me, my time as a second year is going to be difficult and strenuous. But, I am confident it will also be filled with memories, laughs, and smiles. Everyone should make the most out of their college experience and have fun; I know I am.
