As my time at Simmons comes to an end, there’s a disconnect when I reminisce on when it began. I started college in September 2019, a time that seems worlds away when it was only four years ago.

In all honesty, it took my whole first semester for me to adjust to college. I got annoyed when someone attempted to offer consolation by repeating the old adage that college is supposed to be “the best four years of your life.”

Obviously, given the pandemic, it was not the best four years of my life. However, I have made some of my best memories in college, and I’m proud of the person I’ve become in these last four years. There is so much I wish I could go back and tell my 18-year-old self, but since I can’t, I’ll share these reflections with you.

You won’t stay in touch with everyone from high school, and that’s okay.

But you should still try! Some friendships will stand the tests of time, distance, and busy schedules.

Use your career center.

The Career Education Center offers so much more than resume reviews. I only really discovered within the past year how helpful their services can be. For example, their Clifton Strengths coaching has helped me discover what career I truly want to pursue. 

Join a club and stick with it.

At the Connections Carnival freshman year, I signed up for the mailing lists of nearly every club but committed to none of them. When we returned to on-campus classes during my junior year, I ended up wishing I had joined The Voice sooner. Not only is a club a great way to make friends, but it also can give you experience that’s transferable to post-college work opportunities. Plus, it’s just fun.

Have something to look forward to at the end of your day, every day.

This one’s pretty self-explanatory. For me, I always look forward to chamomile tea made fresh from my Keurig and watching TV with my roommate.

Use all your freebies and discounts.

You have access to the New York Times articles through the library. Goodbye, paywall! FIT classes are fun and free. Enjoy accessing the beauty of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, also for free!

Cross-register

One of my favorite classes I’ve taken in college is the poetry writing course I took at Emmanuel. While it can be hard to find the building your class is in on an unfamiliar campus, it’s worth stepping out of your comfort zone. 

Internships aren’t everything.

Contrary to the LinkedIn posts you see, not everyone has an internship. While there are benefits to having one, it won’t make or break your future.

Actually talk to your professors.

Go to office hours, ask questions, participate, and all that. You don’t need to click with every professor you have, but having solid connections with a few of your professors is beneficial on both sides of the relationship.

Go for walks.

In my opinion, our residence campus currently has one of the best locations of any college in the country. There is so much to explore out there! One of my personal favorite places to walk to is Coolidge Corner.

Worries seldom last.

The publishing internships I was worried about not getting two years ago don’t matter to me now. I got the capstone presentation I was stressed about done. A mistake I made in a meeting last semester isn’t haunting me. The job search I’m currently anxious about will work out soon. Most of my worries during my college years have been washed away by the passing of time.

Out of everything I’ve learned during my years at Simmons, one of my main takeaways is that bad times don’t last. I don’t really know what’s ahead, but my time at Simmons has made me feel ready for it.