So I’m officially a senior. I’m speechless. Honestly, it hasn’t hit me yet. I haven’t thought too much about what next year will be like. I can only surmise that it’ll be a lot of hard work and then hopefully a lot of fun. But enough about the future, what about Glen’s third year at Cal?
If each of my years had a theme, junior year would be the year I discovered myself and grew more comfortable with who I was and who I was not. Fall semester was one of the toughest and most challenging semesters of my college career – the mental and physical vigor of running ABA as President is something that few will ever understand. But in the end, it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and I really grew as a person because of it.
The spring semester was one of uncertainty. I was now an ABA alumnus (retiree, as I like to say). Coming off five semesters as an active member of ABA, I felt I had lost a part of my identity. The mental strain of recruiting for summer internships didn’t help much, either. It was a long road, filled with a lot of hope followed by a lot of rejection.
Yet spring semester was a semester of enjoyment. For the first time, I was able to truly learn as I’d liked to learn – staying up-to-date in lecture and actually enjoying the classes I took (debatable for finance, but that’s in the past now). I kept good friends from ABA, but I was also able to make new friends from various walks of school and life.
I was finally able to reach the level of involvement in church and fellowships that I’d yearned for the past few years, and I also was able to volunteer for PEP, something that I’d wanted to do since the end of freshman year. I’m glad I finally found the time to pursue these things while still in school.
In the wake of post-ABA Cabinet life, recruiting, classes, and career-talk, I did a lot of soul-searching. Who was I as a person? How am I similar to other people? How am I different? How involved do I want to be in the different activities I took part in? What did I want to do in the future, career-wise and in a broader sense?
I grew perfectly comfortable with my current level of involvement with others. I don’t meet many people’s expectations of communication and staying in touch. But that’s okay. It’s who I am, and it doesn’t mean that I don’t care. I’m less prone to worry about what others will think of me. I strive to do things that I enjoy and will be able to learn from and grow.
What do I want in life? At this point, I’m still uncertain about the specifics, and I’m fine with that. Things will come in due time. I do know that in the broadest sense, I want quality over quantity. I want to do things well, without spreading myself too thin. I want a job that I truly enjoy (I don’t buy what people say about compromising on this, there’s always another way). And I want to be able to make an impact, regardless of how big or small that impact may be. Quality over quantity. It’s clear as day to me.
Excited for the summer and for the coming year. Here’s to an awesome end of college – I know the hardships will continue to come, but how else can you truly challenge yourself and grow?
Carpe Diem at randomtidbitsofthought.wordpress.com.
