Extend Your Boundaries

Image source: Kristina Nguyen

Every time someone tells me that I “still have plenty of time” to figure out what my major will be or what career path I want to take, I can’t help but wonder if that’s true. Even though I’ve only finished one year of college, I feel like time is ticking away, perhaps even faster than before. Because of this, I’ve made it a goal for myself to explore more clubs, try classes in subjects I hadn’t considered before and push myself out of my comfort zone even more. In the blink of an eye, four years of college will be over, and I want to look back knowing that I tried, learned and discovered as many things as I could.

You’ll often hear that college is a time to find yourself, and it is. Whether it’s trying hip-hop for the first time or doing a recreational sport, there are countless ways for you to do something that may be the complete opposite of what you would usually do. Since I’ve gotten to college, I have switched my major several times to things I never would have even thought of before. This upcoming semester, I am taking classes in four different subjects, keeping an on-campus job for the first time, and taking on new leadership roles. Although this will be much busier than my schedule last year, I prefer to stay busy and I remind myself that I’m actively trying to expand and grow as an individual.

At the end of the day, you are paying to attend college, so my biggest piece of advice is that staying busier is better than having more free time. Trust me, eight semesters seems like a long time but it truly passes by very quickly. Give everything a shot, and if you make mistakes or don’t end up liking the class or activity you tried, at least you’ll know so you don’t have to run into those issues later down the road. So go fill up your time, make some valuable memories, and don’t forget to enjoy college!