A photograph taken from the author’s freshman dorm. The nostalgia hits hard.
Well we’ve done it, we’ve made it through one week of classes for the semester. Maybe it’s just me, but it feels like ages since getting back to Wes. That has a lot to do with me being abroad last semester, so everything feels strange and new and overwhelming. But being away, and now back again, has made me think a lot about my time here at Wes and what I’m doing with it. I figure now is a good a time as any to think about my goals, and the goals of others, for the semester. So without further ado, some thoughts from the Wesleyan community:
Class of ’17 student:
- Go to Milk and Choreo as frequently as possible
- Wear Spring clothes before it is Spring
- Explore the libraries more
- Get more free meals at S&C
- Streak at least once
- Skinny dip in the Freeman pool
- Go to interesting lectures/discussions more frequently
- Make friends with the pasta-line man
- Be involved with WesBurlesque in some way
- Make friends with the people at the Whey Station & Late Night because I go there so often
- Go to the film series more
- Make new friends but keep the old
Class of ’16 student:
- Turn acquaintances into friends
- Get work done early so I can have evenings free to be with people and sleep
- Make time to learn what I want to learn
- Be open to people, notice their beauty
- Organize hella goofy events that will bring people together in high spirits
- Create something every day (food, art, relationship, etc)
- Be present with my work, remember it is a choice, not an obligation
- Go a day without speaking
Class of ’15 student:
- Start work early; don’t procrastinate!
- Be realistic about time commitments; don’t overcommit myself
- Prioritize mindfulness – time for meditation, exercise, health, relaxation, human connection
- Write creatively every day (not for school)
- Go to sleep relatively early, since I KNOW I’m not productive at night
- Enjoy every day here, since I missed it so much while I was away
- Write letters to friends/family from home/abroad every once in a while
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Make an effort to connect with people I don’t already know well; reach out to people who aren’t already my good friends. There are just so many people I want to get to know/spend time with here.
Class of ’14 student:
- Work hard during work time
- Play hard during play time
- Contribute to a student publication
- Hug a homie every day
- Win a round of Pandemic
- Attend as many of my friends’ shows and projects as possible
- Be present; Relax; Enjoy the ride
And, for a little self-indulgence, my own thoughts:
- Spend more time exploring
- Worry less – about academics, about relationships, about life
- Watch the sun set from Indian Hill
- Take in more art
- Practice more art
- Watch the sun rise from Foss
- Appreciate learning for the sake of learning
- Find moments to be still & quiet every day
- Cook exciting meals & share them
- Maintain sanity, but experiment with chaos
Perhaps this will provoke some consideration to your own goals for the semester. We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section!