The differences between my freshman and sophomore year were stark. I re-read my freshman year reflection piece before sitting down to reflect on this past year and I was flooded with bittersweet feelings for my freshman year self. On the one hand, I am so proud of myself and the growth that has taken place over the last two years. I could have never imagined truly thinking I had changed this much in such a short time. On the other hand, I was almost a tinge sad for myself. I remember how difficult adjusting to starting college, a new state, and new friends felt. I wondered if I would ever call the University of Florida home.
I now can say with 100% confidence that I was meant to attend UF, something I was unsure about even just a year ago. Sometimes life doesn’t lead us where we planned and first living out that reality rattled me… but how boring life would be if it followed our “perfect” roadmap? For a planner like me, this is a wild question. I frequently find myself getting caught up in the very narrow path where all my decisions are carefully thought out and there is no room for mistakes. This is a hard mindset to escape, however, I know it is not worth one living in. How can I ever measure up to the expectations of a plan that has no room for alternate paths? While I can try with all my might to be in control, I firmly believe God’s plan for me is so much greater than my own, and that has been the backbone of my college experience.
My sophomore year consisted of memories with amazing friends, stepping into new leadership positions, and being challenged academically. I submerged myself into extracurriculars, and looking back, it may have been better to have taken baby steps rather than jump into the deep end. However, I don’t like to live with regret, so I’m considering it a learning experience for my future endeavors. Some of my activities included volunteering within Child Life at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, working as a Teaching Assistant for Programming Fundamentals I, expanding my horizons of research apart of iGEM at UF (a synthetic biology competition team), leading a run club called Healthy Celebrations, and serving my church by co-leading a small group of other college women apart of Salt Company UF. I also accomplished some of my goals including running a half marathon in January and presenting a research poster at the UF Undergraduate Research Symposium during the spring semester. Through all these experiences, not only did I learn the importance of time management and balancing my personal/academic life, but how capable I am of doing hard things. It did not always feel easy or fun to push myself out of my comfort zone, but the opportunities that came with doing so have been so much beyond what I expected. At times I experienced burnout when I became so immersed in my coursework and other activities. I learned the importance of taking some time to go for a run, practice yoga, talk with a friend, or even take a nap. I could not be my best self without these things. Of course, balance didn’t always come easy. This is one thing I can always work on, and I already have some new healthy boundaries/goals in mind for junior year… starting with getting enough sleep!
All in all, I am so excited for junior year. I was just explaining to a friend that despite being sad college is halfway older, the benefit of getting older is that I feel more confident in the student, friend, and overall person that I am. I know myself. I know which study habits work for me. I know how to listen to my body. I know that comparison is the thief of joy, and it is not worth comparing my journey to anyone else’s. Maybe most importantly, I love the friends and community I have surrounded myself with. Hopefully, when I read this post next year before writing my junior year reflection, I will have taken the MCAT, be in the process of applying to medical school, and maybe have run another half marathon (beating my goal time). In the case that those things (and others) have not gone as planned, this post will be a reminder to give myself grace and sometimes the best things in life aren’t what you planned for.