I am writing this column in the middle of a packed Tisch, surrounded by stressed students and working off of three Yerba Mates (I’m shaking). Even the reading room is full; I had to share a cubicle with a Fletcher student. It feels like finals season brings everyone out of their dorms to shotgun energy drinks and complain about their workloads.
Yes, we have arrived at finals week. Students are flocking to nearby coffee shops to work, professors are cramming in last-minute material and sending us off with their ‘heartfelt’ encouragements before screwing us with the most brutal final ever. Yet, amidst the chaos, finals season is also a time for reflection, which is exactly what I plan on doing right now as I continue to procrastinate.
It’s hard to describe this semester. For me, and I think for many others, this semester has been a mix of incredible highs and crushing lows. Coming off the whirlwind of freshman year, this semester felt slower — welcome to the sophomore slump. But, nonetheless, my semester was a time of self-discovery and unforgettable moments.
Starting with the highs; I realized that college is amazing. In the past year and a half, I’ve had some of the best times of my life. The friendships I’ve built, the experiences I’ve had and the knowledge I’ve gained are truly unparalleled. Everyday I get to wake up in a Latin Way suite with some of my best friends and walk outside to a new day full of life-changing possibilities and opportunities.
With the lows, I realized that although college is amazing, it is so incredibly hard, both academically and mentally. Between academics, social pressures and future plans, some days feel very overwhelming. I know I’m not the only one who has woken up full of anxiety, dreading what the day might bring. It’s a universal feeling, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
For the title of my closing article of this first semester, I chose to use a quote from one of my favorite movies of all time: “It’s A Wonderful Life.” For those who haven’t seen it (I highly recommend you do), this Christmas film follows a man navigating life’s challenges, only to realize in the end that despite everything, life is wonderful.
I think throughout a day here at Tufts, we often lose sight of the overall picture. The daily stresses of being here often swamp how amazing our experience is. Like, we are literally college students at Tufts University. That alone is an honor and a privilege. It’s a privilege to be a Jumbo. It is a privilege to have access to incredible professors. It is a privilege to laugh with your friends on Prez lawn. It is a privilege to worry about exams or whether or not your campus crush likes you. It’s a privilege to live through the highs and lows of college life.
This semester I tried to keep that idea at the forefront of my mind. And, of course, it is hard not to be engulfed by anxiety and sadness, but being able to take a step back and see how wonderful of a life we have is a perspective that can bring peace and gratitude in even the toughest of moments.
It truly is a wonderful life. As we finish this semester and go onto a well-deserved break, I hope we can all take a moment to appreciate this special journey we are on. And to you, my dear readers, thank you for sticking by me and sharing this journey with me. It would be my privilege to lasso the moon for you.
Waiting for an angel to get its wings,
Ben Rachel
