Week 15: The End (of the semester)

Y'all!!!! It's the end of the semester, this is literally it!
I am in the process of finishing my exams and projects right before finals week, and just looking back at this journey has been crazy. I don't think I expected myself to grow so much as a person and be so happy being on my own. Of course I miss home, but I have realized that I am okay with being in Austin. I am actually kind of sad, way more than I thought, about the semester ending. It's weird how every semester feels like the end of the year because your whole schedule changes every 5 months, unlike high school. I enjoyed the process of adjusting and actually learning about myself. I realized the type of person I am, who I want to surround myself with, and what my goals are academically. The plan for next semester is to hopefully be able to internally transfer, which is a process, let me tell you, it actually sucks; but, I will get through it. College is literally so hard, but it is also so much fun. I usually take so much longer to be happy with where I am in life, and I usually realize it after it is over, so I am grateful that I was able to figure out this is what I want. I am glad I chose UT to be the school I attend, the opportunities and lifestyle here is so different from any other college, and I wouldn't change it (except for the amount of stuff we constantly have to do). I love being busy, but like your girl needs a break because right now, things are not it. Also, speaking of break, can we talk about how winter break is literally 5-6 weeks long, like WOW! I am so ready:). This semester has been amazing, and I am so happy. Thank you guys so much for being on this adventure with me, I am so glad I got to document my first semester of college because I know I will look back at it and reflect. College changes you but in my case, I think for the better. You get to learn so much, so just be open-minded and enjoy your time because you won't ever get it back. I hope you guys have an amazing adventure in your college years, have fun and be well. Thank you! :)

Week 13: Networking

Hi!!
So similar to last week, I will be talking about getting to know people this week. Again, being open-minded to anyone and everyone is key because you never know what you can get out of the interaction: a friendship, a job, or just a learning experience. You have no idea if the person next to you will end up being a multi-billionaire CEO of a company in a field that interests you. One thing that I would credit to my FIG is that we have had many lessons on how we can utilize our college experience in order to enhance our future in life. It is recommended to make a LinkedIn, update your resume, and just contact people all through social media. There are many people out there to scout and help you out, you just have to be cognizant and diligent in figuring out how to get in touch with them. If you start early and put in the effort then more people will notice you and know who you are, which could make you a front-runner in highly competitive situations, like recruitment. I recommend you guys take these tups to heart and actually get a head start because college flies by and sometimes people leave without knowing what to do next, so getting ahead and exploring avenues where you can gain opportunities to try new things will really help you. Let me know if you need help because even I am trying to get ahead, but I know it can be tough setting everything up and keeping it up to date so contact me if you need to! Good luck:)

Week 12: Friendships and Meeting People

Hi!! I wanted to talk about how important making friendships are in college this week with you guys. So a lot of people talk about networking and connecting with people to help them in the future, which is extremely important, but more so than that, I think it is necessary to build bonds with people because they end up being your support system in your home away from home. I came in with many friends already here at UT, but honestly I have drifted away from some of them, and that is completely okay. People go through many friend groups during their college years, but they usually end up with a few extremely close friends and in touch with many good people. It is normal for people to grow and have their paths diverge in different directions, but that does not mean you cut people off or be rude. Staying kind to everyone is very important because you never know when you will need them, and being there for them is gratifying because you are helping someone through whatever they are going through. Furthermore, I encourage going out and meeting many people as much as you can. The semester can get really hectic and annoying to the point where you literally just want to stay in your room and work all day, but even if you talk to someone new every day in your classes can lead to lifelong or even short term friendships. Getting to know people helps broaden your perspective on life, new views, and just a good time. Never try to be someone you are not for someone else, but if you vibe with someone then make sure you make the effort to stay in touch with them. College is hard, I have said this time and time again, and I think that one of the main ways I destress or cope with my anxiety is by surrounding myself with good people and just hanging out with them whenever I can. So, I encourage you to meet new people and be open-minded because you never know when you'll encounter that new best friend or even someone that you enjoy talking to! :)

Week 11: Registration

Hey guys!! This week I want to talk about one of the most stressful and competitive parts of college: registering for classes. So not many people know, but the more completed your degree plan is, the earlier you get to register because you get priority - so again, get ahead! My registration is next Wednesday, and even after planning my whole schedule out I am so scared. My schedule isn't ideal because I have Friday classes and back to back classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so they will be really hectic, running around campus all day. A lot of people have different preferences on how they plan their schedule. It's great how we can create it any way we want because we have the freedom to, but there's a lot to take into account. There is a lot of cost benefit analysis that goes on with registering. Some people focus on specific professors, others focus on timings of classes. I have a balance of both. I am not a morning person at all, like I literally cannot wake up and get out of my bed, which is why my earliest class next semester is probably going to be at 10 so that I can wake up at like 9:15. Even though that is still early for me, the class I want to take at 10 is taught by a really good professor. Doing research on who to get for specific classes, especially if they have a reputation of being really hard at UT, is important because after all, your GPA is key. Pro tip: downloading UT Registration Plus can help with grade distributions based on professors, reviews, past syllabi to see if the class is appealing, and other resources that can help you make your decisions. Do not take morning classes because it gets harder to wake up for them as the semester goes on because literally no one has motivation or energy. Everyone is so drained. Registration is very stressful, but don't worry, as you get older it gets easier. The worst is freshman orientation registration, but once that is out of the way everyone kind of does their own thing and figures out their path so it is less competitive. Good luck registering and do your research so you don't have to drop the class later.

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 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.

Welcome to My Blog

Hey y'all,
          Welcome to my blog! I am going to be using this platform to document my college experience as a first semester student at the University of Texas at Austin. However, I also wanted to create a guide for people who are trying to figure out college life, so hopefully this will help people figure out what to do and not to do. College is a difficult time for many people, so I hope that my blog alleviates some of the pressures and stresses students have in moving away from home and figuring out their lives for the next four years. There are many aspects to living on your own, so I want to cover some basics and some challenges most students face. At the end of every week, I will document a new experience/lesson. I think this will be a great way to enhance my personal college life, especially because it will help me remember all the memories and lessons I learned during my first semester at UT. 

I have always been passionate about wanting to help others, so making a guide for new college kids will be a great way for me to impact others in a positive way. I want people to use my guide as a suggestion for making their college years better, but not taking everything I write about to heart because everyone has a unique journey throughout college. People should feel free to make their own decisions when they view my blog, but also think about what will be best for them. One of the values I have is learning from my mistakes and making the most of my experiences, and I really want to prevent people from not enjoying their time in college because they feel lost and have no idea what to do. This project is meaningful to me because I know the struggles people face, and as someone who stresses about every little thing in life, having to make every decision and doing everything on your own can negatively impact an individual’s entire college experience. There is no right or successful way to go through college, but I hope my guide can help people figure it out step-by-step, provide a starting point in their own plans, or just use it as a tool/reference when they are confused. Please free free to share my blog, give me ideas, ask questions, or give me any other feedback so I can work on and improve the blog for you guys!! :)