As I am writing this, a couple weeks have passed since week 5 (the week of Halloween!) which also marks the halfway point of my first quarter at UCI. That is crazy to think about because this quarter really has gone by faster than anyone could have expected, and I think all of us freshmen are caught by surprise. Nevertheless, I feel like I have surprisingly managed to find a balance among all the chaos of this quarter.
Despite the many assignments, club events, and personal matters I have had to attend to, I feel relatively accomplished with what I’ve done with my first quarter so far. If you are a student you might be aware of the equilateral triangle meme for students (included below). Many might agree this is pretty accurate- and unfortunately for me, the one that had to go was sleep. Although, I would say that I sleep more now than I did in high school as you are able to pick your own schedule (according to availability of classes, at least) and so if you know you are a night owl (like me) you can decide to take an afternoon class and avoid feeling like a zombie in the morning.
Sleep-deprivation can be prevented though if you stay organized. Google calendar has continued to be my best friend this quarter as it keeps me notified of due dates for assignments, or events that I may have forgotten about. Looking at my schedule for the week allows me to plan my study days accordingly so I wouldn’t be neglecting any assignments if I were to go to that Halloween party or club social.
Also, after almost seven weeks of being away from my family I got to travel seven hours back to my hometown to see them in real life rather than through FaceTime. Going back home is a great feeling because something about home cooked meals hits different from the Anteatery (not that the dining hall isn’t great, it’s just that nothing can beat your parents’ cooking). My friends from high school were also back home for the Veteran’s Day long weekend and so it was great to catch up with all of them and hang out as if we never left for college.
Overall, the events the past couple weeks have prepared me for this upcoming final stretch of the quarter. I feel like I have gotten my fair share of fun and now as finals week quickly approaches, it is time to get my super productive hat on and make sure to keep staying on track of all my work. Here’s to the rest of the quarter!
