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Outlining My Winter Quarter Game Plan

My first Fall Quarter at UC Irvine was a rollercoaster of an experience. There was so much to take in, but everything went by quickly. It involved a lot of navigating, exploring, and time management that helped me get a feel of college life and how to live individually. Along the way, I have learned many new ways to get my daily tasks in order and how to navigate through UC Irvine resources so that I could finish my first quarter strong.

One of my biggest challenges last quarter was learning how to first manage my time from day to day. I found it difficult because I had quite a bit of lenient time to do the things I wanted, and I overindulged in that. When I first had the freedom to choose to do whatever I wanted, I idiotically used most of my time to do fun things, which pushed back study and homework time. A change that I will be making for this winter quarter to combat procrastination and poor time management is using a timer that I got from Amazon for around $17 (picture and link of Amazon product below). So far, this timer has been helping me get SO MUCH work done, allowing me to finish tasks in a timely manner, with lots of time to spare to do the things I want at the end of the day. My strategy for using this timer is to set about 3 hours each day on the clock, usually taking a break between each hour. I make sure that by the end of the day, I eat up all of the time that is left on my clock until it reaches zero. After finishing those 3 hours on my clock, I know I’ve done a plentiful amount of work for the day and reset the timer to 3 hours for the next day’s use. I believe this is one of the best ways to tackle laziness and procrastination—it helps you stay productive and on task throughout the day. It also feels GREAT once you hit 00:00 because, to me, it indicates that I managed my time effectively and got work done! Can’t wait to see how my Winter Quarter will progress with this new method at getting daily tasks done (loving it so far!).

Only 16 minutes left at the time of writing this! LET’S GOO!!!
Amazon link to product: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09W2B267P?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

Small Winter Break Highlights

For winter break, I just traveled back up to NorCal where I spent some time at my grandparents’ house in the Bay Area for Christmas. Had fun spending time with the family eating and opening gifts! The rest of the break was spent back at my home in Patterson. I’d also like to take the opportunity to introduce my family’s new cat, Ichigo! My family got him back in October of 2024 and I’ve been enjoying his company for the last few times I visited home. I really enjoyed playing with him and helping take care of him during my last few winter break weeks in Patterson before coming back to UC Irvine. Ichigo was the perfect touch in making my winter break very restful and perfect.

Here are a few photos of Ichigo that I took over winter break.

Thank you for reading my blog and please stick around to read even more of my Zot Blogs!

Best of luck to everyone this Winter Quarter!

All the best,

Lucas

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Back to Reality.

I know I can’t be the only one. Did the break fly by fast? Whenever I go home, I feel very relaxed. In my eyes, everything is moving a hundred miles an hour at school: I am always doing so much, but there is always more that can be done. The first few days of break did feel very calm, but as more of my friends started to come back home, it was almost like I was a senior in high school again just enjoying another break from school. As I spent the majority of my time during break catching up with friends and family, it was already the new year, meaning classes would start again in a few short days. 

With my mind off school for a few weeks, I knew it was time to refocus and develop a plan for the upcoming quarter. Reflecting on the fall, I realized that I had similar habits to what I had in high school. This consisted of being slightly distracted during class and doing catch-up work on my own time, which often led to staying up late and having low energy the following day. While pushing through with these methods worked most of the time, I knew it was not sustainable and was bailed out with long weekends and Thanksgiving break. I started to think about the courses that I have for this winter quarter and I now know that those old habits must go. 

Although it has only been two weeks, I can already tell that I have far more homework on concepts that are much more difficult to grasp than in the fall. So far, since my classes are later each day a few times I week, I try to get up early and review the material that will be covered in the lecture, especially for math. Now that my classes are more directed to a major I am interested in (Economics), I do feel a bit more pressure to do well in these classes. Not only to declare a major but also because the classes this quarter are so foundational for the entirety of the subject. 

Anyways, I hope everyone had a relaxing break and is excited to be back on campus. I wish everyone the best of luck for the rest of this quarter, and a happy new year!

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529 E Peltason Dr, Irvine

Dear Glenda, 

Once more, you are going to realize that you never know enough. Ten weeks ago, you became a college student. It is the moment you ferociously worked for your entire life. Has it been what you expected? No, It has been even more meaningful yet challenging than you visualized it. Academically speaking, the habits you forged throughout the years are still effective. Keep doing spaced studying and encouraging yourself to feel uncomfortable. Periodically refreshing the content you learned through application questions is a scientifically backed-up study strategy. The feeling of frustration or discomfort you get while solving problems is a signal that you are strengthening connections between neurons, the more you recall that memory, the more accessible it becomes, that is how learning feels and looks like. 

Nevertheless, you are going to be challenged. Some core beliefs you have sustained are going to be dismantled. In your Social Problems class – a random elective class you chose–you will dissect a study that contrasts the academic behaviors of low-income students compared to middle-class students. If I ask you how does a successful student behave? You will have in mind someone independent, polite, and responsible–it sounds like you indeed– but in the study, the middle-class students who use so-called strategies of influence (treat teachers as resources, try to avoid consequences of their actions, ask for help), are more academically successful. Furthermore, those who display deference strategies–working-class students– tend to be first-generation college dropouts. Shocking, right? You are going to change your ways dramatically. You are going to have to bomb Professors with questions and urgently demand help and attention every time you are stuck; forget about “being a bother” or wasting valuable time trying to figure it out yourself, you have to become the opposite of what you have been taught your whole life. 

Finally, don’t get desperate about making friends. Changing how you behave academically will also lead you to revamp your social life. You will take the lead to make strangers become intimate friends…and will fail. You will notice that the people you want to be friends with do not align with what you need at the time. Drop your idealizations, respect your priorities, and keep your boundaries in mind–you will find the friends you need. At the same time, I am impressed and proud of how you have worked to reconnect to yourself; keep on giving compliments, turning banal conversations into therapy sessions, prompting doors, reminding people how valuable they are, and doing whatever you find satisfaction in. 

Best wishes, 

Yourself (one day away from finals week). 

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A Letter to Myself Ten Weeks Ago…

So starting off at UCI ten weeks ago, I was an emotional mess haha. Reality had hit me along with the realization that I would be living far away from my family for the first time, and also every single doubt that came into my mind. I started stressing whether this was the right place for me to be even though the quarter had just barely started, and whether I needed to begin my career search at that very moment before it was too late. It felt like I was just thrown into the college world at the last second; it came up on me way too quickly! I wasn’t ready to start thinking about my career, what I wanted to study, or even what my interests were. I felt behind already. I have a friend who’s currently in their senior year of highschool at the moment who recently got accepted into a university, and she is going through the same dilemma as I had. So I wrote a quick letter of reassurance to her, a letter that I wish I had read myself ten weeks ago: Leaving for college is scary at first. It’ll be like that at first no doubt about it, but. it’ll slowly get much better just give it time to adjust. The great thing I’ve gained so far from my college experience is that it showed me that there was so much opportunity that it provided that I wouldn’t find back home, but it also made me appreciate my home more as well. I originally thought that college would be the time where I had to go off and leave my family and live on my own forever, but that’s not true at all. In fact, college gives you so much more freedom academically and socially. You get to choose what you want to do from now on, you can visit home whenever you want, or learn things that you actually care about. You’re going to have a great time. It’s a chance where you get to find what you really want to do in life and you’ll feel like you’re actually making progress and going places. I know that sounds really corny, but that’s from my experience so far. Also remember that you’re family will always be there for you, and you can go back home anytime you need to. I think probably the most daunting part about college is that it’s the first time that you have to live far away from your family, and also that you feel like there is this expectation that you need to start taking your life seriously. Well, first of all, airplanes exist so please take a speedy flight back home for the holidays to visit your family. And let me tell you right now, even if you have very little idea of what you want to do with your life, what career you want, or what you think your future will look like, that’s completely okay. Right now, I’m literally just taking any classess with subjects of my interests in hopes that one of those subjects will evolve into something more. Do not stress your first year in college. This is a time where you actually get to find out what your interests are and explore them further without worrying so much about focusing soley on what job you need to get once you graduate….save that for your third year self to worry about lol. Have fun your first year, try to make the most out of it. I’m so proud of you.

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Letter to Self

Dear Lucas, from the beginning of my first quarter at UC Irvine,

Congrats on starting your new academic journey at UCI! I know you might feel a little nervous and overwhelmed by the amount of things you can do as you partake in your first years as an independent person. But don’t you worry, take things one step at a time, and ease your way in. Start by meeting new people, which can include talking to people in your residence hall, going to random club meetings, or just attending UCI events!

You’ve made a few new friends?! Great! Your first midterm is already coming up! Make sure to plan out your days efficiently to ensure that you are on track to understanding all of the material you’re learning in class. The biggest mistake a college student can make is not creating a weekly schedule and following an organized calendar that plans what they will be doing each day. PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL: if you are not setting dedicated hours throughout the day to tasks like studying, trying new things, etc., then you’re not making great use of your time. So, don’t slack off, stay off of social media, and try as many new things as possible!

There are so many new things to do and try during your time at UC Irvine! I know that you’re going to get involved in active life clubs, play basketball, and hit the gym, but did you know there are night classes at the ARC? I know it might be a little far from where you are living, but try committing to at least one activity at the ARC for a quarter to see how you’ll like it. There are so many activities to choose from, ranging from martial arts classes, cooking classes, and the many sports to try out! This is also a great opportunity to meet new people with whom you will share a common interest in doing the same activities.

Although it is a great way to relax by doing fun activities here and there, it is also important to make time for studying and building relationships with your professors and TAs. Going back to planning your weekly/daily planners, I suggest trying to work your daily tasks around TA and professor office hours, so if you need to attend them for extra help, you’ll have the time to do so.

It will seem like a lot at first, but by following a strict schedule, you will meet all of your deadlines for your classes, make lots of time for outside activities, and have days for yourself where you can sit back and relax (just don’t do this too often).

Remember, it is ok if things don’t work out or if you make mistakes—those are all a part of your journey as a college student. Feel good about yourself and treat yourself when you succeed and learn from your mistakes. College will be a great opportunity for both your academic and personal growth, make the most of that while you continue your time at UC Irvine.

Sincerely,

Lucas