Midterms are underway and somehow I am not freaking out. It’s a beautiful feeling—or lack thereof. That is not to say that my classes are not difficult, or that they do not require constant time and effort, but I feel much more comfortable with my studies than I have in years. Beginning in junior year of High School I began to join more and more activities that entirely packed my schedule. It was probably the right thing for me at the time, as I had gotten into a funk where my days consisted of doing nothing between singing and sleeping, but keeping it up for three years was exhausting. I rarely had free time, and when I did, the last thing I felt like doing was studying.
It is no secret that Wellesley is an academically challenging school with notorious grade deflation. I can still party, hang out, and be in organizations and clubs, but I had to develop a strong sense of my priorities (hint: studies have to be near the top). As long as you do all the work and put as much time into the classes and homework as necessary, students should be able to do well and get a lot out of the class. Professors do not lower students’ grades to lower the overall class average, but they will grade everyone toughly. While I realize this is extremely helpful in the long run, it can at times feel extremely stressful and even frustrating.
Coming into Wellesley, I immediately joined everything that sounded right for the image I had created for myself. I was also spending a lot (too many) hours at work, as well as all my other extracurricular activities. Through the year, my tendency to over-schedule myself began to take a toll on me and my studies. Even all my de-stressing habits were not enough, though they helped a lot. Singing, dancing, music in general has always been a main way for me to get the stress out. Last year I also began to pick up knitting and immediately fell in love. It is essential to understand that although colleges around the US have worlds to go before achieving the proper learning environment, Wellesley has a lot of ways of helping with the stress. From the more obvious ones such as the Stone Center (counseling services) to help rooms, teacher office hours, language tables, and free tutoring, all you have to do is take advantage of these opportunities. I have sporadically gotten a tutor and attended help rooms and office hours, but I am still working on going all out on the services offered. Sometimes it is difficult to give every class so much commitment, but from recent experience, I truly believe it to be worth it.
I attribute my change from ball-of-nerves to smooth-midterm-rider to dropping some unnecessary activities and dedicating more time to my education and physical and mental health. I’ve been working out more, eating healthier foods, and letting myself get lost in my hobbies when I get the chance. My main one right now is knitting—I have so far knitted two scarfs throughout midterm season. Although time-consuming, it helps me keep my hands busy when reviewing or taking a break, and I find the movements incredibly relaxing (and that’s without even taking into account the feeling I get when I finish a project). I have no intention of stopping any time soon.
Wellesley is hard, but there are so many things you can do to get through the bumps that you come across in your way to the finish line. First, take advantage of all the resources offered. Second, do not commit to too many things, and make sure you love the ones you do commit to (don’t do it just because you think you should). Lastly, find things you love to do/will help you with stress. Honestly, you can probably apply some of these to your own life regardless of whether or not you are currently enrolled at Wellesley.
Find your oasis~