✨The Last✨

This year has gone by so fast that I am amazed that this will be my last blog post. Looking back at my first post as well as a couple of journal entries from the beginning of my first year here at UCI, I definitely can say that I have exceeded my own expectations in many different ways. 

The three main goals I had at the start of my first year were first, to get “good” grades, second, to make time for family and friends, and third, to make the most of my dorming experience. 

You might be wondering, why is good air quoted? Well, everyone’s interpretation of “good grades” is different and so is everyone’s perception of “bad grades.” So what do I mean? To me, good grades are the ones that I know I’ve tried my best on; no matter the grade, as long as I know I’ve done all I could, I am happy with the results. For the past two quarters and hopefully for this quarter too (knock on wood for me please), I have been pleased with my results because I think the grade reflects the amount of effort I put into the class. I don’t put a letter or a numerical percentage as my goal because personally, that stresses me out. To add to this, I’ve also developed ways to study for certain classes that I know will help me with the related courses I need to take in the future.

For example, my physics classes have and are still giving me a hard time. My professor for 7C told us a quote at the beginning of his course from Thomas Edison, and it really stuck with me: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” The brilliance of this quote is very subjective, but the meaning is inspiring. Just because one way didn’t work out doesn’t mean that the entire attempt is a failure; you now know what doesn’t work for you and that’s a step closer to the answer you want versus not knowing what to do at all because you are afraid of failing. 

I always tried to go home whenever I could because being with my family and being at home makes me feel so relaxed. I love my family a lot so I even call at least once a week (or is it once a day?) I prioritized studying and family so much that I did not go out as often as people would expect especially because I am in the dorms. I know a lot of people say that I should go specifically because I am dorming and it’s easier to meet people, and they aren’t wrong. I just think it’s a misconception that I can’t also make friends through online classes. Most of the friends I’ve made this year were from online classes, and even though it’s been one to two quarters where we have completely different classes, we still keep in contact. So I don’t think it has to do with what setting you are in; it has to do with the mindset you have going into that setting. 

Another thing to keep in mind: you are your own friend. What I mean is you should treat yourself the same way you treat your friends (I hope you treat your friends well or else this analogy would not work). If you tell your friends that they need get more sleep, you should also be telling yourself that you should also get some sleep. If you tell your friends that it will all work in the end, remember that for yourself as well. Even though college is an amazing and fun experience, remember to prioritize your physical and mental health. 

Wrapping this all up, I think I made the most of my dorming experience here. I experienced my first job, my first lab job, the cafeteria food (which you can get sick of eventually even though it is pretty good), UTC, and the campus itself. I’m really glad that UCI’s campus is very open and full of nature. Even though I almost got stung a couple of times, I still enjoy taking walks and enjoying the scenery. 

Now, for the last time, take care!🤗