Semester Experience Essay for Educ 198

I love Cal! I just realized this a week ago. Prior to that, I was apathetic—almost indifferent. A number of years ago (how long is my secret), I dropped out of Cal a few weeks into the Fall semester. I just didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. So, among other things, I went to work for Ebay. Here I am now, older, but not much wiser. However, I am more committed than ever to finish my psychology degree.

What does X years in the corporate world make you? Cocky. I envisioned myself joining a slew of clubs and making tons of friends. I’d get straight A’s and graduate Summa Cum Laude. I would just have a lot of fun. So, I joined six clubs and the RSF gym. I signed up for four upper division psychology classes and this Education 198 course. Needless to say, I was in for a rude awaking. I didn’t realize that I had literally forgotten how to study or even write a formal essay. I was reading twice as slow and absorbing half as much. I studied my ass off for my first mid-term and got a “B.” I literally spent most of the semester grabbing my ankles and trying to relearn how to study, how to write and most importantly, how to be a student. All I did was study and go to class. I never went to any of the club meetings or to the gym. I was lonely and too distracted to really make friends. I felt like an outsider. I couldn’t relate to any of the “kids” and they couldn’t relate to me. I have gone in to the bookstore twice to buy a Cal sweatshirt and twice I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I just did not feel like I was a part of the school.

Finally, towards the end of the semester, I started getting better at studying. I started to make a few friends. I stopped telling people how old I was. I just added my seventh friend on Facebook.com (how in the world do people get three hundred friends in their profile?). Just last Thursday, I was having lunch at the Bear’s Lair on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Someone rolled a piano into the plaza and started playing Beethoven. Shortly afterwards, they had a lady sing jazz while the guy continued playing. That was cool. On the way to class, I passed through Sproul plaza and there was a group playing Taiko Asian drums. Nice. I also stopped by a booth protesting civil rights violations in North Korea. Most of the interesting political issues are represented in this plaza. Amazing. Later that day, after running up the fire trail and catching the most breathtaking sunset ever, I was walking home and I came across a group playing Brazilian instruments and doing capoeira in the dark. I got goose bumps and knew at that moment that I was smitten. All of this had been going on right under my nose. It took me until a week before finals to appreciate it.

I am so excited about the fall semester. I’m going to do things differently. I’ve got my groove back now. I won’t overwhelm myself with classes and I will have free time to take in all that Cal has to offer. I’m in love with Cal and I won’t let anything get in the way again. As for advice, don’t overload yourselves, at least not in your first semester. Take the time to check out what Cal has to offer. You’re in college only once and I think Cal is special. Remember, grad schools want well-rounded people. Lastly, put your ego on hold and really take the information in the green reader to heart. All of it is important, but my favorites were the sections on how to study and how to manage your time. Oh, and I finally went out and bought my Cal sweatshirt. The cool new grey ones!