In this mid-quarter slum, I found myself searching for something more. Something amazing. Extraordinary. The first quarter of freshman year is fantastic, new and exciting, and it makes the other quarters difficult to top.

Winter quarter is the time where we are given the chance to settle in and focus our efforts on the things that we find most important to us. Trying out every club first quarter kept you busy and meeting new people, but Winter quarter is about fine-tuning the organizations and people that you want to dedicate your time to.
This extra time gets scary for the hyperactive 'over participatory' Bruin I am. I want to fill this time with more achievements, more resume-builders, more 'fillers' in this game of life. I'm realizing, however, that I simply need to change my mindset to make this less-busy quarter more fulfilling.

Here are 3 tips to a more fulfilling quarter:

1. Be more present

I don't mean attend everything, but rather 'wherever you are, be there'. Put all of your energy with the people around you, be attentive, look at a person while they're talking to you, focus on where you are and live in that moment. Forget about what you have to do next and stop talking about what happened last week- live in the now. "You are either 'now here' or 'nowhere'" -Baron Baptiste

2. Be positive

Try to remove one negative thought at a time. Instead of talking about a person who said something that bugged you, talk about the one thing that made you happy.

Focus on all of the things that make you feel alive (besides for coffee and alcohol)--the class you love, the conversation you felt engaged in, the person who gave you thrill, and run with that. Work your best attributes: if you earned an A in one class, maybe think about continuing taking classes in that field- forget about that Saturday Chem midterm that made you feel worthless. Focusing on what you can't do prevents you from discovering what you can. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't push your limits and work hard if you can't get something the first time around. We are human- we progress- we improve- and most importantly, this gives us the ability to grow.

3. Push your edge

There's a safe way to grow without overdoing it and burning out. (This goes for physical training, mental training, and even training your soul). It's all about consistently taking small steps to a place you've never been. Working on being more intentional, having longer study stamina, or even the willpower to step out of a relationship-- it all starts with one small step to an uncomfortable place: maybe saying less, and meaning more, or working through your fidgets, or sometimes saying no. Believe that you can do it and you're already half way there- "The moment when you believe you have no more energy or capability, when you are certain you have to give up, is when you experience the most profound breakthroughs" -Baron Baptiste

Most importantly, breathe, let go, live, cherish, thank, relish, love and EXPERIENCE this ephemeral time.