After just finishing my first year, I can examine it with a critical eye and think about what I want to change or improve upon going into my sophomore year.
I was busy. Like, really busy. With 31 credit hours for the whole year, four publications, a student union, two jobs and balancing friends as well as alone time, it was challenging to keep up. I missed out on opportunities to hang out with friends on weekdays after classes because of meetings, was continuously swamped with homework on weekends and lost hours of sleep due to late nights in the library.
Was it manageable? Yes, I forced it to be. Would I recommend doing all of that? No, not at all.
I took the advice of getting involved to heart and made sure I did just that. As a journalism major, it’s important to get ahead by gathering clips of writing and getting as much experience in undergrad as you can in order to prepare for internships and jobs. I had a fear, and still do, of missing out on opportunity. The last thing I wanted to do was regret not getting a jumpstart on my career.
That is one thing I don’t regret about the extra additives to my plate of freshman year. I met some really great people at my publications and have gained a new level of experience that will be extremely useful going forward as a journalist. Now, my first piece of advice: Do not join four publications. While it may seem enticing to join as much as you can, quality over quantity should count for what you’re involved in too. Pick maybe one or two to see if you like them and test it out.
With my two jobs, one of them is being an ambassador for my college. It’s fairly low time commitment and is a lot of fun. My other job has to do with Housing and Residence Life. It’s more of a time commitment, but I also enjoy what I do. If you plan to get a job, I recommend just getting one and making sure it’s something you like at least a little bit. There’s no point in hating your job already as a freshman.
People aren’t lying when they say that getting involved makes it easy to meet new people. Classes, jobs, publications, and organizations all brought different friends and groups into my life. I truly wouldn’t know what I’d do without them. However, you still need time to cherish spending time with all those amazing people as well as just enjoying your first year of college. It’s taxing to do it all, but you don’t have to.
Remember to take time for yourself and take on what you think you can. If the amount you thought you could handle, it’s OK to drop stuff and pick others up later. You’re going to be on track to where you want to be and everything will work out in the end.
Mimi Calhoun is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Email Mimi at mc300120@ohio.edu or tweet her @mimi_calhoun.