Five Things I Loved About College (And Five Things I Wish I Knew)

Welcome to the first edition of Dear Diary, a weekly series where I will share a list, a thought, or another type of short piece similar to a journal entry. For my first installment, I wanted to share some of my experiences and advice about the whirlwind four years of college!

Loved…

1. My friends and teammates

My 50-person friend group that was the crew team, with whom I made a unique bond through countless races and road trips, team dinners and study sessions. I loved getting brunch with my former sorority sisters, doing econ problem sets and getting frozen yogurt with my friend Katie, and sending photo updates to my peer advisory group (shoutout pa group 114).

2. The Library

Specifically, Deering Library. Big fan of locking in for hours and romanticizing studying. Especially with other people – my friends and I would go to the Deering Reading Room all day and order UberEats while attempting to use the Pomodoro Technique, to varying degrees of success.

3. The schedule

I loved being able to plan my own schedule while also having a certain structure within the day. For example, I could row while the sun rises at 7 a.m., read French literature in a library during the morning, go to two lectures, interview a source in Evanston in the afternoon, and go to dinner with my friends, all on a random weekday.

4. Random classes

I studied journalism, economics, and French. I loved my classes in these disciplines, but some of my favorites were the ones that really expanded my mind. Global Modern History, Introduction to Religion, Media, and Cult, British Tudor and Stuart History, Hope and Futurity, and even Introduction to Computer Science all reminded me of the joy and fun in learning for the sake of it.

5. Walking

I didn’t realize how much I walked at school until I graduated. I became a pro speedwalker going from North to South campus in between classes or getting to downtown Evanston to study. It was a great opportunity to listen to music, spot friends, and take in the campus. I decried the winding pathways when I was running late, but the paths that loop around the buildings and trees provided a mindful break in between classes.

Wish I knew…

1. Freshman fall is hard

Academically, socially, even physically. And that’s okay! I think 75% of my friends (including myself) were thinking to ourselves that we were going to transfer. But I am beyond glad I didn’t. We do a tradition at Northwestern where we march through The Arch our freshman year, and march back through senior year. As I looked around at my friends, family, and acquaintances marching back through The Arch, it felt so surreal to be in a place that was once foreign but now felt like home.

2. You’ll know when you’ve found your people

There have been many moments at college where I’ve tried to integrate into groups that weren’t really the right fit. I found that I was my happiest when I embraced being friends with people that genuinely got me. Who knows how many Chili’s runs or delirious, hilarious nights in the library I would have had otherwise.

3. Implement something in your schedule that regiments your sleep

Having a regulated sleep schedule is so important. My life changed when I started getting 8+ hours of sleep per night. And I really needed to be disciplined about it because I woke up at 5 a.m. for crew every day. Obviously most people won’t be doing this, but having any sort of routine makes it so much easier to prioritize work hours versus chill hours.

4. Make use of your school’s resources

This tip seems obvious, but I don’t just mean libraries. I mean the career counselors and academic advisors (and not just when you need class scheduling help). I mean events random clubs are throwing (usually with food, which is a plus). I mean networking with alumni from your school. Who knows what you might find.

5. Go to student productions

Some of the best nights I had at school involved watching theater majors sing notes I didn’t even know existed, or talented dancers grace the stage. They put so much effort into the shows, and it’s usually around $5 to get in. I was astounded by the talent in my peers. Such a luxury!