Dear Shruti,
Take a look at your "first night of college" self. It honestly feels like yesterday that you were exploring the city with your roommates not knowing that they would become your closet friends. Look at how much has changed since then. Anyways, congratulations. You've made it this far. While you've completed the first stage of college, you have a whole 7 more to go. Overall, it was a successful first semester of college, so go you.
Although you may have strayed from the path a few times, I’m glad that you've always come back to realize what your end goal is. Keep that same motivation as you continue on to the second semester.
Remember how hard you worked to get to this point, and don't let anyone take that from you. With the workload slowing down, take winter break to refocus and re-prioritize. While you make your new year resolutions, make some new semester resolutions too.
The adjustment period is now over. You know what you did wrong in your first semester, now do things differently. When you're tempted to go out with your friends, but you have an exam the next week, remember that sparing one night of going out isn't the end of the world, but sparing one night to study will be more of valuable than you think.
Don’t be such a yes man
This semester, you ran to every opportunity no matter what it was. From far away, it may seem like a good thing, but you know is not. If a friend asks you to to go out or spend a day in Georgetown while you're are in the middle of the homework or study grind, say no. It’s okay. Your friends will still be your friends. Make YOU a priority. Putting yourself before others does’t mean that you still can’t be there for your friends. But know whats best for you and stick to that.
Invest in yourself
Don't be afraid to speak up for what you believe in. You aren't going to get along with everybody and that is OK. But keep those you care about close and give your all into relationships that actually matter. Don't be mad if people don't like you for who you are because then they're irrelevant anyways.
So future self, I leave you with this advice: Think about the long term, but live in the moment. Go with the flow, but don't follow the pact. Work harder than ever before, think about your goals, and have a blast.
You’re almost 1/4 done with the best years of your life.
You got this.
