Stop Freaking Out: 8 Life Lessons I’ve Learned This Year
Hello there, wonderful, lovely, amazing Great Books Family! I thought I’d take a slight detour from my normal Great Books posts and write a little bit about personal stuff for a change!
As I’m nearing the end of my freshman year (STRIKE UP THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS, PLEASE) I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the ups and downs of being in college. My freshman year has provided me with victories and failures, bombed math tests, fun chorus trips, unnecessary drama, squawking like a chicken in Great Books, loads of theory homework, recitals, a trip to the emergency room, getting to meet Tony Blair for a hot second at the Benefit Dinner, broken hearts, a trip to Hell while reading Dante’s Inferno, and lots of other awesome and terrible and wonderful things of the like.
Now that I’ve almost completed a year in college, I’m basically an expert when it comes to surviving it all (that’s a joke; I literally rolled out of bed and got in my car and went to school looking like a homeless woman today). At any rate, I wanted to share some of the lessons I’ve learned from being in school this year. I have learned so much, not just academically, but I’ve also about life and living it to the fullest. So, without further ado, here are eight lessons I’ve learned from being in college.
1. Slow progress is still progress. Some days, it will feel like your progress is at a stand still. Some days, it may even feel like you’re backtracking. But that’s okay. You are making progress just by showing up for your classes, even when you feel dead.
2. Failure is okay. It exposes our weaknesses so we can turn them into our strengths. The first time I got my music theory homework handed back to me in the fall, I was shocked to see that I had made a solid D on it (welcome to Theory I😑). I could have seen that as a horrible failure on my part and decided that maybe music wasn’t for me. Instead, I took it as a sign that I would need to work harder in this class than all my others. I ended up making a perfectly good grade in the class.
3. Stop and relax. You won’t die and your assignments will still be turned in on time even if you take a break to breathe. Your body was not made to run on fumes; you need to rest and recharge it. Staying up into the wee hours to finish homework isn’t always the best idea. Instead, try going to bed early and getting up earlier to finish it if you can.
4. You’re gonna meet a lot of wonderful people in college BUT 🚨NEWSFLASH🚨: not all of them are going to be your significant other. It’s perfectly fine to not have a boyfriend or girlfriend two seconds after you arrive on campus. You are still a wonderful, perfectly normal, capable, and amazing human being even if you’re not dating someone. Don’t let someone of the opposite gender define your worth. Keep that in mind and just chill for a while.
5. Most people in school are just as confused as you are. If they look like they have their life together, they’re just a really good actor because in reality, they’re on the struggle bus too because everyone’s on the struggle bus.
6. Stop focusing on the letter/number grade and start focusing on what you need to learn. Yes, your GPA is important, but it is also important to remember that you’re here to LEARN, not keep a 4.0. Grades don’t always reflect how well you understand the material. In one of my music classes, I have a grade that is lower than I would like for it to be. BUT I have learned SO MUCH from this class and believe I have an excellent understanding of a lot of insanely difficult material. That alone gives me more confidence than a final grade of A would.
7. There’s a lot of apathetic people in the world but if you stop and look around for a hot second, you’ll be surprised at just how many people actually DO care about you. They really do. If you’re struggling, find a group of people that cares. Because you don’t need to walk alone. I have a group of about five people that I could call at 2:00 in the morning if I needed them and they would doubtlessly be there for me in a heartbeat. Surround yourself with those kinds of people.
And lastly:
8. Singing with your friends will change your life. Do it often.
Now, I’m not just saying this because I’m a HUMONGOUS chorus nerd🤓 and because I think everyone on the planet should be in chorus (I mean, I kind of am, but that’s not the point!!!) In all honesty, singing has changed my life. Less than a year ago, one of my biggest insecurities was singing. I was ashamed of my voice and terrified to even sing in church. Being in chorus has made me conquer so many of those fears and I am always surprised at what I’m willing to do now when it comes to using my voice.
When I started school, I was carrying a lot of emotional burdens with me. I will never forget the burden that was lifted from my mind and heart my first day of chorus. Hearing the voices all around me singing praises to the Lord was and still is an experience I absolutely cherish. I can honestly say I have a certain bond with my fellow chorus nerds that is rare to find elsewhere.
My life right now is a chaotic mess. At the moment, I have two sections of theory homework to start on, 35 pages to read in Machiavelli’s The Prince for Great Books, math homework and a test to prepare for, a Bible exam on Friday, a piano proficiency exam to practice for, a chorus performance and banquet within the week, and I need to practice piano for roughly five hours before my 9:30 lesson in the morning. In no way do I have my life perfectly arranged (lol, obviously). There are days when I come home and cry and stuff my face with Oreos and Swedish Fish because I’m so tired and confused. So, this blog post in no way is the answer to all the stuff that comes up with being in school.
But, I do hope it serves as a little bit of help to any of my friends and classmates who just need a little encouragement!😄 Just remember not to freak out. Everything is gonna be okay.
We have just a few more days of school left, y’all! Let’s make them the best days yet!!
Love you guys,
Abigail
As I’m nearing the end of my freshman year (STRIKE UP THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS, PLEASE) I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the ups and downs of being in college. My freshman year has provided me with victories and failures, bombed math tests, fun chorus trips, unnecessary drama, squawking like a chicken in Great Books, loads of theory homework, recitals, a trip to the emergency room, getting to meet Tony Blair for a hot second at the Benefit Dinner, broken hearts, a trip to Hell while reading Dante’s Inferno, and lots of other awesome and terrible and wonderful things of the like.
Now that I’ve almost completed a year in college, I’m basically an expert when it comes to surviving it all (that’s a joke; I literally rolled out of bed and got in my car and went to school looking like a homeless woman today). At any rate, I wanted to share some of the lessons I’ve learned from being in school this year. I have learned so much, not just academically, but I’ve also about life and living it to the fullest. So, without further ado, here are eight lessons I’ve learned from being in college.
1. Slow progress is still progress. Some days, it will feel like your progress is at a stand still. Some days, it may even feel like you’re backtracking. But that’s okay. You are making progress just by showing up for your classes, even when you feel dead.
2. Failure is okay. It exposes our weaknesses so we can turn them into our strengths. The first time I got my music theory homework handed back to me in the fall, I was shocked to see that I had made a solid D on it (welcome to Theory I😑). I could have seen that as a horrible failure on my part and decided that maybe music wasn’t for me. Instead, I took it as a sign that I would need to work harder in this class than all my others. I ended up making a perfectly good grade in the class.
3. Stop and relax. You won’t die and your assignments will still be turned in on time even if you take a break to breathe. Your body was not made to run on fumes; you need to rest and recharge it. Staying up into the wee hours to finish homework isn’t always the best idea. Instead, try going to bed early and getting up earlier to finish it if you can.
4. You’re gonna meet a lot of wonderful people in college BUT 🚨NEWSFLASH🚨: not all of them are going to be your significant other. It’s perfectly fine to not have a boyfriend or girlfriend two seconds after you arrive on campus. You are still a wonderful, perfectly normal, capable, and amazing human being even if you’re not dating someone. Don’t let someone of the opposite gender define your worth. Keep that in mind and just chill for a while.
5. Most people in school are just as confused as you are. If they look like they have their life together, they’re just a really good actor because in reality, they’re on the struggle bus too because everyone’s on the struggle bus.
6. Stop focusing on the letter/number grade and start focusing on what you need to learn. Yes, your GPA is important, but it is also important to remember that you’re here to LEARN, not keep a 4.0. Grades don’t always reflect how well you understand the material. In one of my music classes, I have a grade that is lower than I would like for it to be. BUT I have learned SO MUCH from this class and believe I have an excellent understanding of a lot of insanely difficult material. That alone gives me more confidence than a final grade of A would.
7. There’s a lot of apathetic people in the world but if you stop and look around for a hot second, you’ll be surprised at just how many people actually DO care about you. They really do. If you’re struggling, find a group of people that cares. Because you don’t need to walk alone. I have a group of about five people that I could call at 2:00 in the morning if I needed them and they would doubtlessly be there for me in a heartbeat. Surround yourself with those kinds of people.
And lastly:
8. Singing with your friends will change your life. Do it often.
Now, I’m not just saying this because I’m a HUMONGOUS chorus nerd🤓 and because I think everyone on the planet should be in chorus (I mean, I kind of am, but that’s not the point!!!) In all honesty, singing has changed my life. Less than a year ago, one of my biggest insecurities was singing. I was ashamed of my voice and terrified to even sing in church. Being in chorus has made me conquer so many of those fears and I am always surprised at what I’m willing to do now when it comes to using my voice.
When I started school, I was carrying a lot of emotional burdens with me. I will never forget the burden that was lifted from my mind and heart my first day of chorus. Hearing the voices all around me singing praises to the Lord was and still is an experience I absolutely cherish. I can honestly say I have a certain bond with my fellow chorus nerds that is rare to find elsewhere.
My life right now is a chaotic mess. At the moment, I have two sections of theory homework to start on, 35 pages to read in Machiavelli’s The Prince for Great Books, math homework and a test to prepare for, a Bible exam on Friday, a piano proficiency exam to practice for, a chorus performance and banquet within the week, and I need to practice piano for roughly five hours before my 9:30 lesson in the morning. In no way do I have my life perfectly arranged (lol, obviously). There are days when I come home and cry and stuff my face with Oreos and Swedish Fish because I’m so tired and confused. So, this blog post in no way is the answer to all the stuff that comes up with being in school.
But, I do hope it serves as a little bit of help to any of my friends and classmates who just need a little encouragement!😄 Just remember not to freak out. Everything is gonna be okay.
We have just a few more days of school left, y’all! Let’s make them the best days yet!!
Love you guys,
Abigail
Abigail, thank you so much for this post! I'm a freshman in high school, but to be quite honest, I related to this post anyway. I suppose in a way we're both freshman starting something new and challenging! The points that really hit home for me were #2 and #6. Before starting Great Books (or even high school) I struggled with the idea of failure. I had breezed through my schoolwork in years prior, and there was no reason for that to change!
ReplyDeleteHowever, reality did not pull any punches at the beginning of the year and basically hit me like a truck. Deadlines started flying in at 90 miles an hour, and my little planner did virtually nothing to keep them at bay. As the year went on, I learned how to develop a better schedule. Even so, I learned how to do something even more important: accept my mistakes. As my family always tells me: failure is only failure if you didn't learn anything! Although I haven't gotten comfortable with failure yet, I hope that I will start utilizing opportunities to improve myself as I continue through life.
Again, thanks for this post! If it's any consolation, you seem to have it together more than most people I know. Keep doing what you're doing!