A Letter To My Undergrad Self | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

A Letter To My Undergrad Self

It was a rough ride, but it was still great.

25
A Letter To My Undergrad Self
clipartfest.com

Holy cow. I just completed my last week of classes, ever. Which means it's finally here. My last final's week. Ever. Luckily I only have one actual final exam. Then I have one online exam and a few projects to turn in. And then I'm done. For good. I just can't believe how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was an awkward, anxious little freshman, or having my mid-college life crisis in sophomore year. But soon enough, I'll be putting that all behind me and walking across the stage to begin my next chapter.

First, though, I'd like to take a minute to reflect on my time here as I write a letter to my past self. Hopefully she reads it and has a little easier of a time.

Dear Undergrad Self,

We'll start off with you, freshman me. Wow, you're one nervous wreck aren't you? You're beyond excited to have moved away from home, but now you have to find where you belong in a new town. Listen, it's going to take a little bit to find your actual niche. The people you hang out with this year won't all be around next year, but that's okay. Appreciate the time you have with them now. Everything happens for a reason, but at least you're having fun, for the most part. Oh and maybe spend a little less time worrying about boys and a little more time focusing on math. I know, math's hard and that prof sucks, but it's the only C you'll ever get. Don't worry.

Okay sophomore me, you're next. See, I told you things were going to start getting better in terms of your friends. I want to give you a little advice, don't expect them all to be there next year either. But I think you know which ones aren't sticking around. And don't worry, it's not just you they leave either. But I can tell you that the friends that do stick around after this year will stick with you through senior year too.

I know you're having an existential crisis too. But just hang in there. Let things take their course. Remember how you loved writing in high school and wanted to go into journalism? Well, it'll be a bit of a long and bumpy road, but you'll finally get there. And trust me, when you do, you'll be so much happier and glad you didn't drop out of college or transfer.

By junior year, you have it all figured out. Finally. Well. Almost. You finally got your friend group down. You're in a major you love and you're getting a little more involved in a great organization in your department. You might work a little too much, but that'll end soon. By the end of the year you'll be out of that job, you'll have enough money for your off campus apartment and you'll end up getting a job with Eagle Media (and just wait to see how well that plays out in your favor. During the first month of senior year, you'll also get another wonderful job with the best boss you've ever had.

You'll see your friends a lot more in the fall of senior year. I know there'll feel like there's still something missing in your life, but please just enjoy having fun with your friends. Trust me, you'll meet the perfect person to fill that hole soon.

To any underclassmen that are reading this, just take my advice. Be patient, let life play out, and most importantly, have fun. You only get four years in college and they're going to fly by. Enjoy them while you can.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

590
group of people sitting on bench near trees duting daytime

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Great Christmas Movie Debate

"A Christmas Story" is the star on top of the tree.

1944
The Great Christmas Movie Debate
Mental Floss

One staple of the Christmas season is sitting around the television watching a Christmas movie with family and friends. But of the seemingly hundreds of movies, which one is the star on the tree? Some share stories of Santa to children ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"), others want to spread the Christmas joy to adults ("It's a Wonderful Life"), and a select few are made to get laughs ("Elf"). All good movies, but merely ornaments on the Christmas tree of the best movies. What tops the tree is a movie that bridges the gap between these three movies, and makes it a great watch for anyone who chooses to watch it. Enter the timeless Christmas classic, "A Christmas Story." Created in 1983, this movie holds the tradition of capturing both young and old eyes for 24 straight hours on its Christmas Day marathon. It gets the most coverage out of all holiday movies, but the sheer amount of times it's on television does not make it the greatest. Why is it,
then? A Christmas Story does not try to tell the tale of a Christmas miracle or use Christmas magic to move the story. What it does do though is tell the real story of Christmas. It is relatable and brings out the unmatched excitement of children on Christmas in everyone who watches. Every one becomes a child again when they watch "A Christmas Story."

Keep Reading...Show less
student thinking about finals in library
StableDiffusion

As this semester wraps up, students can’t help but be stressed about finals. After all, our GPAs depends on these grades! What student isn’t worrying about their finals right now? It’s “goodbye social life, hello library” time from now until the end of finals week.

1. Finals are weeks away, I’m sure I’ll be ready for them when they come.

Keep Reading...Show less
Christmas tree
Librarian Lavender

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is one of my personal favorite holidays because of the Christmas traditions my family upholds generation after generation. After talking to a few of my friends at college, I realized that a lot of them don't really have "Christmas traditions" in their family, and I want to help change that. Here's a list of Christmas traditions that my family does, and anyone can incorporate into their family as well!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Phases Of Finals

May the odds be ever in your favor.

2554
Does anybody know how to study
Gurl.com

It’s here; that time of year when college students turn into preschoolers again. We cry for our mothers, eat everything in sight, and whine when we don’t get our way. It’s finals, the dreaded time of the semester when we all realize we should have been paying attention in class instead of literally doing anything else but that. Everyone has to take them, and yes, unfortunately, they are inevitable. But just because they are here and inevitable does not mean they’re peaches and cream and full of rainbows. Surviving them is a must, and the following five phases are a reality for all majors from business to art, nursing to history.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments