Nieszczur: The year from a freshman’s perspective

It’s the moment I thought would never come: the end of spring semester has arrived. With outlooks of sunny summer days, seeing old friends and a break from schoolwork on the horizon, it’s hard to keep a focus on anything else. It’s hard to believe that 12 months ago I was a scared and overwhelmed potential student on a tour of campus. I didn’t know if I’d even end up at UT, let alone what activities I’d be taking part in, what friends I would meet, what experiences I would have, if I could handle the demanding workload and what college life was really all about. I was both excited for and terrified of the unknown.

I spent all summer preparing for the fateful first day of fall classes. Soon enough, however, I realized the ins and outs of college life. It was on that day that I removed my lanyard and ID card from my neck, thereby leaving ‘freshmanhood,’ and became a confident, label-free student.

So how’d it go? How did I make it? Did it live up to expectations? Was it worth it? It was a wild ride. One week was a little slower and laid back, followed by a hellish week of three exams and two papers. One weekend I could sleep 12 hours, while the next week I relied on Starbucks to pry my eyes open to get in that last-minute chemistry studying. One day I felt on top of the world, while the next day I contemplated switching majors, fearing I wasn’t smart enough to be in pharmacy school.

So how did I do it? I surrounded myself with good people and made a promise to myself to never settle for less than my best. I took time for leisure, whether it was dinners with friends or a movie night with my boyfriend. I planned out my weeks, always kept a calendar nearby and never let an exam sneak up on me. I stayed on top of things and took time to breathe, exercise and call home. I made friends with great people and made great memories. All these things kept my freshman year sane and enjoyable.

As far as expectations go, I didn’t really know what to expect coming in to college. I’m sure we’ve all seen media depictions of college life: big parties, excessive drinking, hot hookups, amazing sports games, sororities and fraternities ruling the school and everyone else trying to find their place. Going in open-mindedly with a blank slate was one the greatest favors I could have done for myself. I made my college experience what I wanted it to be: full of good friends, good grades, good experiences and a good outlook on the years to come.

Expectations can cause unrealistic plans to be made that often result in drama and depression. I’m glad that I learned early on to separate Hollywood college life from the real thing.

Finally, was it all worth it? In a word, a resounding YES. Was it hard? Of course. Did I have bad days, good days, sad days, happy days? Yes. Did I make mistakes, make hard decisions? Sure. But in the end, did I come out alive? You bet.

The college experience has been a wild ride, but I wouldn’t trade it. It’s been a formative period in my life, and I finally feel that I have found a sense of direction and purpose. It’s been uplifting and amazing. It’s probably the best thing the price of tuition could buy.

So here’s my advice to next year’s incoming students: Be yourself. Have amazing experiences. Study hard, but take time for yourself. Don’t get caught up in living up to ‘college student’ stereotypes. College is the time to do the things you’ve feared and become what you’ve always wanted to be. In the end, you get out of it what you put into it. Make good decisions and make it count.

Alexis Nieszczur is a first-year majoring in pharmacy.