Week 10 of my first quarter. Already. I cannot believe that I am already a third of my way through my first year at college. It feels like so much has happened within these past ten weeks that it is difficult to summarize it all into one post. There is one thing I can confirm though: the quarter system is fast-paced.
Being a freshman and especially entering as undeclared, I felt lost in such a large, vibrant, and diverse school environment but somewhere and somehow I found my way. The first few weeks of this quarter I was definitely attempting to adapt to this huge transition. As someone who came from northern California I only knew people from my high school and some other students from orientation, and so I really was starting this big journey independently. It was a little scary feeling alone at first, but eventually I settled into this uneasiness and sought out discomfort.
Suddenly after five weeks of putting myself out there, getting involved, and meeting new people I began to feel a sense of community in my school. Getting to know other students here at UCI, especially upperclassmen, provided me insight into the culture and workings of this university. Spending time with other freshmen and living in such a supportive hall, I felt like I had access to a space in which I could find connection, relatability and belonging.
Academically, I was lucky that I began my college career with classes that were truly fascinating to me. I am the type to want to be creative in my work and I feel that the courses that I took this quarter really allowed for the opportunity for some creative expression. The drama courses I took, specifically, really confirmed my passion for this art, as there was never a moment when I felt that I wasn’t creatively engaged. This perhaps might be a sign that a new door to a potential major has opened.
So a little message to me at the beginning of the quarter: college is busy. The weeks will fly by quickly and you will meet countless amounts of people. You came here to learn, and you will, as there are so many opportunities for engagement. No matter what nervous thoughts you may have though, you got this.
If there is something about this quarter that I’d want to emphasize it would be the idea of community. It is easy to get caught up in the pressure and competition of higher education but what I learned from just talking to other students is that everyone is going through their own struggles no matter how well a person might seem to be doing. All students have specific strengths and weaknesses and so to any student out there: do not compare yourself to others and instead, feel accomplished with what you have done. To all the current freshmen completing their first quarter: congratulations, we jumped into something that was new for all of us and have made it this far. Here is to more quarters to come.