Sophomore Year Reflection

At the end of my first year of college, I wrote a whole reflection post detailing my year, including personal struggles and how I overcame them and some really cliche anecdotes that make me both cringe and smile. It wasn't very long because my first year of college wasn't anything spectacular. It was a lot of learning how to adjust to college life and being somewhat independent. Not a whole lot of self-discovery happened my first year. At least, looking back at it now and comparing it to this year, I don't think that much of a transformation happened. Not until this past year.

I came into second year knowing a few things: that I was moving back to a city I loved into a room with my best friend. I knew I had some friends on campus to come back to and a full schedule that I was pleased with. If you would have told me some of the things that happened to me, both outwardly and within, I would've called BS. Everything about my second semester especially was absolutely mind-blowing and I wouldn't believe that any of this would happen.

This year was my first full year of blogging too. I didn't start my blog until the end of March during spring semester of my first year of school, meaning there wasn't a lot of balance that needed to happen. I had ideas, I didn't need to brainstorm at 12 AM the night before to think of a post idea while still having assignments to do. I know my posts aren't crazy in depth or require photoshoots and a lot of professionalism, but it's a bit daunting when you want to push yourself (I should point out that I in no way feel forced, this a choice that I ultimately wanted to make because I love it) to come up with new content every day. But I did it!! That is honesty one of my biggest accomplishments for my second year of college: balancing schoolwork, this blog, and then eventually a social life and my job, which I will get to later.

Fall semester, overall, wasn't fantastic. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad by any means. My classes were good, I didn't cry all that often, and I liked my room. But my roommate/best friend wasn't around that often and I felt a bit alone for a while. Then, when I caught wind that she wasn't coming back, I was terrified that the loneliness was going to continue on into spring semester. I didn't want to deal with that again, not after freshmen year. When I went home for winter break knowing that I had a terrible school schedule ahead and my best friend gone, there was barely an ounce of excitement in my body, which is rare. I'm always excited about something.

Alas, my fear was for naught. Yes, it's true, my spring semester classes SUCKED. They were terrible, horrible, every sort of negative adjective. But they were either gen-eds or required, so there was no escaping these evil classes. I survived (I think) (I don't have my grades yet...) though, which is great in itself. While the classes were dull and boring, they were manageable. My "social life" or lack thereof, however, was not manageable. It's hard to manage something that just doesn't exist!

Spring semester was the debut of my new haircut, which I attribute to my new sense of confidence and positivity, to be honest. I've always been a positive person, but I feel like I really let it shine this past year because I notice how happy it makes other people. My top three favorite things to do are smile, compliment people, and make other people happy. If I can do that, I feel like I'm accomplishing something.

I got really close with some people this semester (#PUGLIFE), which was precisely what I needed in my life. I needed people who were going to stay, who I could count on, and who I knew could count on me right in return. I needed a support system here and more positivity to radiate onto me incase I was having a gloomy day myself. And I got it! So thank you, my dear, dear friend(s) in Cleveland for making my spring semester bearable and lovely and everything I could have ever wanted in a school term.

Last but not least, I think it's fair to say that getting this job might have been the second best thing to happen to me after making friends and future roommates (apartment life begins at the beginning of August!!!). It is my dream job, the job I've been trying to get since I turned 16. All I've wanted to do is work in a clothing store, but I could never find one that was the perfect fit. They were either too corporate, required you to be 18, didn't hire without experience, or just didn't hire new people on at all. I was beginning to accept the fact that maybe I would never get the clothing sales experience that I so longed for....and of course, I proved myself wrong, which is kind of the best feeling in the world. I now (well, not now now considering today is my temporary last day until I come back to Cleveland) work in the cutest and most darling boutique with the greatest boss with the greatest customers. Everything about The Wandering Wardrobe is unbelievable and fantastic and I will never be able to rave about it enough. I've learned so much in my two-ish months there, things that I will carry with me for as long as I can remember them.

I wish I had kept a mood calendar during my freshman year because I can guarantee there would be a massive difference between the two years. Last year I had a roommate who I hated, no semblance of a social life, zero self-confidence, and no support system. This year, I had a suitemate who provided me with daily Beyonce jam sessions (instant mood booster), the perfect amount of social activities that I could enjoy time with friends but could also focus on myself and my own hobbies, more self-confidence than I thought I would ever have (#SelfieQueen) (Kind of), and the set of friends that everybody raves about in their post-college days.

All I gotta say is if my junior year of college is anything like spring semester of my sophomore, I'm in for a real treat.