It’s coming down to the wire. All that remains for my undergraduate career is six more lectures to sit through.
Yes, I still have homework problems to solve, lab reports to write, tests to take and of course Senior Design to finish. But for the moment, I am pretending like none of that exists and I’m telling you what really matters.
Because no one actually reads these, let me remind you what my last two editorials have been about; challenging yourself and working hard.
It might come as a surprise that this one isn’t going to follow the “Tyler Meuter Tells You to Man Up” theme, as someone once suggested as a weekly column.
This also isn’t going to be the cliché “I’ve shed blood, sweat and tears here at Tech, but I loved every minute of it” last thing I write for this newspaper. Instead, it’s a piece on my advice to you.
Two things to do in college: have fun and dive deep into your passion. One thing not to
do: work.
I’ve made the mistake of working two jobs simultaneously my entire college career while being a full-time student. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t work at all while taking classes.
But if you do, make sure it is something that you will benefit from. The jobs that I had were in no way related to the degree I was pursuing, but merely provided a way for me to pay for my education.
Admittedly, this semester was the first spring break I actually took off.
I took the week off work to travel around Florida with great friends. Why did I never do this before? Why did I always work through spring break at a minimum wage job? Don’t make this same stupid mistake.
Between real work and class work, “free time” was something that never existed for me
during college.
But as these final weeks of college come to a close, my job here at the newspaper is ending and I’m taking off work at my other job until I graduate.
It’s liberating. I’ve planned my remaining weekends to be spent with new acquaintances and doing the activities I love.
I am determined to enjoy this time I have and live like the college student I wish I had been throughout the last five years.
This brings me to my second point. Invest time in your friends and the things that interest
you the most.
We all know that friends come and go but it’s these friendships you have that really make your time in college enjoyable.
These are the people that will make you laugh the most and be by your side for all the illicit things you’ll do.
And while some friendships may seem to be temporary as you both plan to go your separate ways after college, embrace them in the meantime for you can never be 100 percent sure about what the future holds.
While taking four years to get through college might seem infinite, don’t rush through it.
That’s four years for you to find your passion and get heavily involved with it.
Find what lights your fire within and keep it burning all throughout college. For every major that is offered at Tech, there are at least two clubs/organizations that are doing something within that field.
For example, aerospace engineers can choose from clubs that offer everything from launching rockets to 20,000 feet to getting your pilot’s license, or sending a satellite into orbit to building model prototype airplanes.
Unfortunately for me, I worked throughout college.
This left me with no time to join clubs and embrace my education. This left me with no time to enjoy adventurous outings with friends.
To you I say, make the most out of your time at Tech and don’t be consumed with work; you won’t regret it.
It’s been a pleasure, Tech. Forever and always, Up with the White and Gold and to hell
with Georgia!
