I know what you must be thinking. “Seize the day” might just be one of the most overused, generic inspirational quotes to ever exist. In fact, I myself used to see it as nothing but a meaningless platitude. However, my four years at Drexel University have been a journey towards understanding the true meaning of these three words.
As a freshman, when my parents told me that I was about to head into the “best years of my life,” I struggled to believe it. Freshman year has a way of raising anxiety levels; for what is most likely the first time, you have to look after yourself in an unfamiliar city full of unfamiliar people. This phase can be the hardest to get through, and especially having come right off of losing my senior year of high school to the pandemic, I went into college finding that my social skills had gone into a strange slump (as if I was not already socially awkward).
During my first year, I found myself largely going through the motions each day, letting time pass me by and usually staying cooped up in my dorm when I did not have class. This was not exactly intentional; as much as I wanted to become socially involved, I would let small defeats hurl me back into my rigid comfort zone. One failed attempt to make friends at a social event or club meeting would discourage me from continuing to try. There was even a point when I started to feel like “the college life” was just not for me. It took me longer than it should have to realize the truth: you get to decide what “the college life” is. There are so many options that it has to offer, and I eventually found that there was in fact something for me. I just needed to keep on searching for it rather than expecting it to find me.
An important part of this is finding the right people. This could take time; do not lose hope just because you struggle to become the best of friends with your first roommate or do not manage to make friends in your first few classes. There are hundreds of students (and professors) on campus, each with their own unique stories and personalities. Among them, you are bound to find some people who genuinely encourage and inspire you to recognize your talents and skills that you might be taking for granted. However, this will only happen if you keep putting yourself out there.
As an introvert, “put yourself out there” used to be a very intimidating phrase for me, but I have learned from experience that the only way to overcome that fear is to actually do it, again and again. This is certainly easier said than done; it will not necessarily work out in an instant. You might struggle to connect with people at some events, but stick it out nonetheless because you never know when you will find the right one. In the meantime, you will only gain more clarity about what works for you and what does not. You might even end up facing disappointment five consecutive times, but do not let that stop you from trying a sixth time. There are literally hundreds of different things you could try, and when just one of those works out, it could become an invaluable part of your college experience.
In fact, if there is anything that you like to do, chances are that there will be some way to get involved with it on campus, even if you think it is too niche. This could be by joining a student organization, adding a minor or even taking a single elective. Drexel can throw some real surprises sometimes, like when I got to take a film studies class called “Indian Cinema Today,” something which I would have never imagined getting to take a college course about.
Coming from someone who used to have trouble with speaking up in class, you should take the opportunity to say what you think during your classes. Believe it or not, there are so many people who are genuinely interested in hearing what you have to say, even if you think you cannot “perfectly” articulate it. In fact, it was a friend I made during junior year who encouraged me to try publishing my writing, which I used to keep private out of lack of confidence. That was what inspired me to seek out and apply for the Triangle, and becoming a part of this community turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made during my college years.
The point is that it is never too late to take the opportunity to try something new. It can feel intimidating at first, but speaking from experience, I promise that you are capable of even more than you think; you just have to commit yourself to searching until you find the right environment for you, one that will allow you to spread your wings and soar. Plus, unlike what peer pressure may push you to think, there is absolutely no need to engage in risky behavior to get there. Know your personal boundaries and trust your instincts about what works for you and what does not; just try not to make overly hasty judgments.
Turn every day into an opportunity to do something meaningful, something that allows you to grow. Some days might be a slog, but never let that stop you from looking forward to the next day because each day brings a plethora of opportunities; you just have to venture out to find them. This might sound exhausting, and in all honesty, it can be at times. However, when you are doing things that truly excite you, you will find that you automatically have so much more energy to do them. The easiest way to burn yourself out is by forcing yourself to do things you are not genuinely interested in, whether out of pressure or a sense of obligation. When you are not being true to yourself, you are only wasting the precious few years that you have to explore all kinds of opportunities and discover the multitudes that lie within you. It may seem like you have a lot of time on your hands, but it truly does fly by.
Therefore, when I say “seize the day,” what I really mean is: do not let the day seize you. Take it into your hands and make it your own. Sometimes, it might not seem like the world has something for you, but the only way to know is to keep on searching. College is a grand opportunity to learn about yourself, find your identity and simply enjoy yourself. If you use it well, you will come out with a level of self-confidence you never imagined you could have.