I wake up every morning to the same sound: a duck quacking. An abnormal ringtone for an alarm, but it gets me up. Depending on the day, I'm either up before the sun, or just as it's rising. The previous day's events determine on whether or not I shower, and the outfit of the day. My go-to is jeans and a t-shirt. The stressors of the previous day also determine whether or not I do homework during breakfast before making the walk to my first class.
Doing homework late into the night and sometimes into the first hours of the morning is a chore that has recently scheduled itself into my daily routine. The chairs in the business building probably have my butt imprint in them, with how often I'm there. Constantly worried that the events in my planner are going to be forgotten about, they're written in bright colors, then highlighted in even brighter colors. Walking to my first class of the day, typically an early morning class, I try to take that time to organize my thoughts. Go through my schedule for the day, make sure I'm not forgetting any major details or events for the day.
My email is bursting and buzzing with notifications from various clubs, organizations, and teachers, reminding me that a meeting is to occur, to sign up or donate to this charity, or to warn me of an upcoming assignment or test. Looking at my email is overwhelming. I'm not a popular person, so this many notifications can easily be overwhelming. This has taught me to take things one at a time, and not look at the image as a whole, but bit by bit.
Class begins. My watch, that also receives notifications from my phone, is vibrating as my peers are waking up and responding to messages sent the previous night, or earlier that morning. I'm proud of the way I'm able to ignore my phone and social media during class and throughout most of the day to complete things off my list that are more productive, or are more worth my time. My friends are important to me, but they understand I'm not going to be on my phone all the time. They're in college too. They understand. My fingers fly across my keyboard as I try to soak up information like a sponge. I am fond of teachers who make me laugh, or make the class enjoyable. It makes the learning experience fun.
Class ends. I make the most important decision of the day: to go back to the dorm and relax, or stay on campus and be productive? Usually I go with the second option, to ensure I won't be up late doing homework, but it's a never-ending black hole. After deciding, and devoting my break time to whichever activity, I eat. This might be the only time I can actually sit down and enjoy a meal without feeling rushed, so I scroll through Instagram or Twitter while I can.
Meetings upon meetings upon meetings. They're never-ending!! My afternoons start with an open mind going into a new meeting, and by the end of the night my brain is comparable to a KFC meal: fried. These meetings, while they take a lot out of me, they're worth it. They provide a learning experience and a reason to keep doing what I love.
My dorm. My comfy spot on campus. My literal home away from home. If my dorm wasn't as home-y as it is I don't know how I'd survive. If there's a record for homesickness, I've probably beat it. My roommate and floormates know how to ease the tears, however, and for that I'm forever grateful. My dorm is filled with everything I cherish and love, and there's nowhere else I'd rather end my long, stressful, fun, enjoyable days at.
The summer before coming to college, I was open to any and all advice from those who were ahead of me in school. I could never understand what they meant when they said that college is both the best and worst time of your life. Now I understand. Being under some of the most stress I've ever been under, but being exposed to the best friends, teachers, and opportunities ever is something that makes the long days worthwhile.
