Vi’s View: Feeling like a Freshman in Junior Year

Ah, junior year — supposedly the time when everything clicks, and you finally hit your stride. Yeah, not exactly. For me, this year feels a lot like the universe decided I needed a do-over on some of the basics. And when I say basics, I mean basic basics like how to balance coursework, time to see friends, and keeping my life together without falling apart in a sea of chaos.

Time management? Still working on that. I figured by junior year I’d have a solid grasp on how to balance my life, but nope. It’s like I’m relearning how to prioritize all over again. Between classes, extracurriculars, and a part-time job, I’ve caught myself asking, “How did I get here?” more times than I’d like to admit.

I have a planner — that I use quite a lot —  and it does keep me quite afloat. But in between classes, getting into group projects, and extracurricular activities, it feels like every day is a sprint, and somehow, I’m still behind. 

What’s funny is, I kind of expected to feel like I had everything under control this year, but I’m learning that it’s okay not to. Sometimes, you need to relearn things, whether it’s time management, campus life, or the art of not forgetting important things like snacks. Relearning the basics doesn’t mean you’re falling behind, it just means you’re figuring things out all over again, and that’s okay.