So much has happened since the start of school. I can’t believe it’s only been a month – it’s felt like a year! This semester is one of the most different, most alien semesters to me, and I’m still getting used to the pace of life and not being so involved in ABA.
It’s disconcerting at times, I feel like I should be doing something, even though I’m pretty much dedicating all my available time to school work and recruiting. I finally heard some good news – will be going to a first-round consulting interview this Friday, so I’ve been studying like crazy for the case questions.
In terms of recruiting, now that I know what to expect for info sessions, networking, and preparing, it’s not as intimidating as it was back in December. I feel like the entire process can be learned and perfected, and I’ve seen some pretty drastic improvements in myself in just a few weeks. Who knows what a semester or two will bring?
I’ve been attending all my classes, and I’m actually up-to-date in every single one of my classes. That is an accomplishment in itself, and I’ve found class time to be much more enjoyable when I understand the material being covered. My schedule and professors have been pretty great so far (for the most part), and I’m enjoying my classes.
With the extra time, I’ve also gotten more involved with church and fellowship groups, something that I’ve wanted to do since freshman year. Going out consistently and getting to know a lot of the people (who are all pretty cool, by the way), makes the experience much more enjoyable, and I’m glad for the opportunity.
I also plan to start volunteering for YWCA’s PEP program, which stands for Pre-Kindergarten Enrichment Program, where I’d go to a pre-school in Oakland Chinatown to play with the kids and help the teachers. Given my past experiences as Chinese school TA, I’m not bad with kids, but I guess we’ll see how this goes.
At this point early in the semester, I feel like I’m at a crossroads. I’m still figuring out if I want to get involved in any other activities, preferably something where I can lend a hand and learn. The other option is to stay put and focus on school and my current activities.
I’m fine with staying put, but the thought makes me a bit antsy, as I feel like I should be doing more. I’ve been thinking a lot the past few days, and maybe I should take a break. I’ve realized that I’ve been going at a pace that is hurting my body in the long run – maybe now is the time to start taking care of it before it’s too late. After all, you can’t do anything without your health.
No promises, but for the time being, here are some goals that I’d like to achieve this semester, in no particular order:
– Sleep more: Get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. I think I’ve averaged 5-6 during the school year since high school, and I feel my body’s been taking a toll.
– Go to more office hours: Hardly ever went in the past. I’d like to go more consistently for most, if not all, my classes. Definitely will go for questions about papers and exams.
– Exercise more: Basketball and swimming. Play ball with the ABA peeps, maybe get involved with an IM team, and definitely start swimming again on weekends (which I’ve neglected to do since November).
– Explore Berkeley + surrounding cities: This is a maybe, depending on my recruiting schedule and results. But I remember the days back in freshman year when my floormates and I would do random hikes to the Clark Kerr track to spot shooting stars. I really miss those days, and I don’t want to graduate regretting the fact that I didn’t explore places I should’ve explored. This goal will probably be more of a junior + senior year goal.
– Blog more: This blog and my food blog. Just re-designed my food blog, and I’ve definitely been blogging more overall than I did last semester. Keep a lookout – big things may be coming soon!
That’s it! Time to go back to prepping – fingers crossed for this interview, and hopefully I hear back from the other companies soon!
College life at randomtidbitsofthought.wordpress.com.
