COLLEGE is a lot like a circus. There's laughter, suspense, excitement and a lot of unhealthy food and beer. Students are everything from clowns to acrobats to fire-eaters, and professors are kind of like lion-tamers. But despite all of the different personalities you will find around Grounds, every student is a juggler at heart. We juggle friends, classes, relationships and clubs, and we often do it all on a limited amount of sleep. It is this juggling act that defines the college experience, and it is the one thing that every student will learn at the University.
That being said, not everyone starts out as a juggler. Ironically, my first-year roommate really could juggle (not just metaphorically speaking), but my attempts at learning this skill were fruitless. Despite the fact that I can't juggle objects, I have learned to juggle everything else in my life. When you move into your dorms, unpack your bags and begin the not-so-pleasant task of figuring out where everything is and how everything works at the University, you begin training for the big show (also known as life). But the training process, thankfully, consists of four wonderful years.
One of the biggest mistakes I see students make is trying to do it all too early and all at once. We are the generation of over-achievers and go-getters, always looking for something to put down on a college application or resume. But college is the one time in your life where the experience is just as rewarding as the end result, and taking it slow has its benefits.
The University certainly isn't a perfect place (something you will quickly learn just from reading the headlines in this newspaper), but being a part of something here makes a lot of the flaws just a little bit better. One of the best ways to get the most out of the college experience is to pick just a couple of activities to juggle in the beginning and stick with them throughout your four years. As with any training process, it's all about the conditioning. You start out easy, and as the years go by, things slowly start to get more intense. If you've been smart, though, the process will feel natural. Your first year is all about choices. Your second year is all about decisions. Your third year is all about hard work. And your fourth year is all about reaping the benefits.
What you choose to get involved with your first year should be something you want to pursue throughout your time here. But I caution you against choosing activities you already did in high school or activities you just assume you should get involved with, like Greek life.
The Cavalier Daily is a great place to start if you are looking for something you can grow with at the University. We can be an intimidating bunch, but the satisfaction of putting out a paper everyday is something you won't get to experience much in life (and no, it is not like "The Paper" on MTV). Despite the long hours and occasional technological meltdowns, working for the paper has its perks. While all of the sections are wonderful, I am biased in feeling that the Opinion section is probably one of the most rewarding. For all of you egomaniacs, you get to see your name and picture in the paper every week. For all of you political activists, you get to both inspire and irritate people on a weekly basis with your beliefs. And for all you writers, you simply get the pleasure of writing something you actually want to write, instead of yet another five-page paper on British society in the 1800's. There are few things more enlightening than an intelligent letter to the editor, few things more amusing than crazy hate-mail and few things more validating than kind and encouraging e-mails. All in all, opinion writing is a great way to grow as a person and writer.
But enough of my shameless plugging. Whether you're into journalism, sports, art or politics, don't overload yourself in the beginning. The Student Activities Fair will tempt you into putting your e-mail address down on 20 different sign-up sheets, but this will only leave you with 200 e-mails in your inbox and no real desire to get back to any of them. The key to juggling is moderation and a willingness to catch what you throw in the air. You can't start out by juggling fireballs or swallowing swords. So, just relax and enjoy your time here. After all, the show hasn't even begun.
Lindsay Huggins is a Cavalier Daily Opinion editor. She can be reached at lhuggins@cavalierdaily.com.
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