Week 10: Exams

Hi guys! So this week I wanted to quickly talk to you guys about exams because this is the busiest part of the semester, and the stress level is REALLY high. Basically, exams suck. The amount of studying in advance I have to do is so annoying because I have so many other assignments and things to worry about. This past week, I was so mentally exhausted and drained; it was probably the worst week I have had since I started college. I was sick, tired, and stressed. After this week, I basically have a test every week and even though that doesn't seem like a lot because in high school I had tests every day, college exams are so extensive and difficult. I know some of my friends who have had five exams in one week, and it's honestly awful. Exams really mess with my brain and I need some sort of rejuvenating therapy to recover. I encourage you guys to start studying early, read your syllabi to know when your exams are, and plan ahead. The semester gets busy and everything just piles up, so if you already have an idea about when your stressful weeks occur in the beginning of the semester, you can mentally prepare for them. I stress a lot so I need to get on top of my game because the semester is no ideal right now, and I am honestly so scared. Take care of yourselves, but also prioritize schoolwork because that is why you are in college: to learn and succeed:)

Week 9: First Year Interest Group

Hiiii! Wow, it's already week 9 of college and I feel like I have done so much, but at the same time the semester is going by fast. My schedule is getting busier, I have to worry about next semester's classes, exams coming up, and managing my time (always going to be a struggle for me at this point tbh). Anyways... this week I want to talk about my FIG, or First Year Interest Group. UT has a special program for most of the colleges where freshman students are put into "groups" basically with people in a similar major or looking into the same field, and you have two or more classes with those people depending on how many the college reserves for you (I'll go over all of that in my registration post coming in a few weeks). Initially, I was kind of annoyed that my college picked my classes for me and made it mandatory for me to be a part of a FIG because I thought that this was my time to pick what I wanted, but honestly it has been really helpful. My FIG leader can be annoying because he takes attendance and if I miss too many days, I can be penalized during my registration, which I still find dumb. I don't think that a student should be able to have that power over freshmen, but it's fine because it's only one semester. I love my academic adviser because she actually cares about all of us and helps us with any questions we have, since we are all REALLY confused. The people in my FIG are so fun to be around, and I really think that I will stay friends with some of them even after our FIG is over because they are good people. We all have opened up because we basically see each other everyday and we have the most entertaining conversations, I love how we can relate to one another and get our minds off of all the stress we all endure. Before, I was hesitant on opening up, but everyone is so nice and we all get along without judging each other. We have weekly lessons on how to manage college life in different ways, like eating better, finance, class selection, etc. which are really helpful for me; so I am glad that Moody (my college) put me in the FIG because it has been a great learning experience. I encourage you guys to join FIGs as well because even my friends in other majors/colleges have made new friends and learned a lot by asking questions and connecting with others in general. Again, my tip is always to try something you wouldn't expect yourself doing because who knows, you might end up loving it :)

Week 8: Going Home

Hey guys! So the semester has definitely picked up and the continuous exam season is on a loop. I basically finished and started my first and second round of exams in the same week. Being so busy can be a good thing for someone who is homesick like me, but it's also annoying because you feel like you can't go home. I feel bad for people out of state who have to wait til November to go home for Thanksgiving. I am so grateful to only be 3 hours away from home because I am able to go home every two weeks, which I am so happy about. I am extremely close to my family, I can't even explain it to you guys, so having the choice of going home in the back of my mind makes it easier to get through the weeks honestly. Coming home is always a weird feeling because it's like you're a guest in your own home and you're on vacation. I still have a lot of work to do when I am at home, but it just feels so relaxing and nice to be comfortable and not overwhelmed with campus life. However, the weekends at home fly by and it can be sad. Sundays are probably the worst day in history as they are so bittersweet. After spending two days with family, doing everything I enjoy at home, like eating out, watching TV, and hanging out with all my loved ones, I have to say goodbye and go back "home." It's such a weird feeling. I thought it would get easier, but honestly every time it gets harder and I hate it. I am currently home, so I am hoping that I don't feel too upset when I go back. I am perfectly fine when I am in Austin, but that transition from leaving Houston to go back makes me so depressed that I wish I could just move UT to Houston for my convenience. But I know I can't have the best of both worlds. I just feel like when I am in Austin I miss out on memories and family experiences, so when I am back I don't want to leave. Coming back to my old room in the comfort of my home is something that I never thought I would have to worry about or miss because I always thought it would be there. Everyone misses me so much, so I really love the special treatment I get when I come back as well. It's good to know that the time I get to spend with everyone when I am back home is not wasted and is sacred in a way, and we are all fortunate to have that because many other people cannot come home until the longer breaks. So just some advice before I sign off, if you do get time and are able to go home, I totally recommend it because you need that balance. Being cooped up in Austin is not always the greatest, especially because campus is dead on the weekends; however, if you can't go home, just please try to stay in touch with everything and everyone back home because it makes the transition process easier.

Week 7: Study Groups

Studying is probably one of the worst, if not the worst, thing in college. Welcome back y'all! I thought I would start with a straight to the point kind of intro as my initial statement in this blog, just to keep you guys interested based on some of the feedback I got. Now, I have always been someone who works extremely hard and studies a lot. Like seriously. I used to spend hours every day in high school, almost 8 a day, just working or studying, it actually sucked. And honestly, college is a whole new ball game. The amount of free time we have here is crazy, especially when you're someone who feels like you need to constantly be working when you're free, like me (I know, it's sad). I'm not saying college is basically all studying, but you have to be smart about the way you want to approach your assignments and exams. Quality over quantity matters when studying in college because you can honestly be "working" til the sun goes down, but retaining information, especially with the amount of distractions and social events, is super difficult. I came to college wanting to learn time management and creating an academic-social balance, so I had to figure out a way to combine the two without failing out my first semester or being miserable. The solution I found was...study groups. I know a lot of people don't think study groups are beneficial and they are a waste of time, and you're right they can be, but you have to make a plan and find the right people for it to be successful. I have found that learning the information on my own, then going over it with people who work as hard as you and all want to do well is the best way to make the most of your studying time because let's face it, after getting the basics down and working for what feels like eternity, the last few days before the exam are the worst. I know a lot of people procrastinate and cram the night before, which doesn't work in college, so study groups are a fun way to actually get some work done. People can confirm or explain topics that are confusing, and it is a great way to destress and meet new people too. I have a study group for my Communication and Leadership class, and it's so fun to just sit and discuss what we are learning. That's my other point, even though they are called "study" groups, they can also just be discussion groups where you talk about what is going on in the class because keeping up with the lectures is studying in itself. The hardest part about studying is the initial motivation of just having to do it, and if having other people around helps, then go for it! Just go to PCL, sit down with a few people, and study. You don't even have to be in the same class, it's just nice to have people around you when you are bored to death, reading a textbook or notes. Again, give new things a chance in college, and if it isn't your cup of tea, at least you can say you tried it and it didn't work. I hope you enjoyed this week's topic, if you have any more ideas or questions you want me to discuss, feel free to let me know in the comments :)