If you think about it, resolutions make no sense. Practically speaking that is – since they almost never last. You always find yourself making all of these grand plans at the start of the year, only to pig out on the leftovers of that fantastic cake you had on New Year’s soon after.
Despite knowing that the rules we make are going to be broken anyway, we still stride on in our quest for living a better year. There are always second chances, and more opportunities for us to prove to ourselves that we are strong enough to resist temptation.
Having that notion in mind is the reason why I believe that the beginning of spring semester holds so much more promise than the fall. Not only is it just the start of a semester, but also the start of an entire year. That means it’s a new year that is not marred by any of the stupid mistakes we’ve done yet (because, let’s be real, there are always stupid mistakes) and we’re free to make the best choices we can.
That is why I have put together a tiny checklist of goals we should have in mind as we start the new semester back at Homewood. Regardless of whether it’s your last semester ever in college (time flies doesn’t it?) or your first, you definitely want to make this one a semester to remember. How better to do this than to have a great attitude coming in?
We’ve all been there before. Contrary to what we might like to believe, ignoring the fact we have homework doesn’t make it go away. In fact, the work seems to double from the moment we take our eyes off of it. It’s actually still early enough in the semester to not have an unbearable amount of work yet, so my recommendation is to get started on it now. Your fatigued body 10 weeks from now will thank you for this.
2. Get involved on campus.
When else will you get the chance to casually learn how to juggle with fire? College is a great time to try things you would never try any other time, and also to pursue your interests with a deeper passion. Just going to the SAC fair (which is on Feb. 20) will make you realize just how much of a variety of activities we have on campus. Choose something that interests you, and put your heart into it; there’s nothing more fulfilling than doing something worthwhile outside the classroom.
Not everyone may love this quirky city we’re in, but Baltimore really does have it’s own perks to offer. You can start out by dining at some of the best restaurants with student-friendly prices during Restaurant Week (Feb. 16 to Feb. 23). Later in the spring semester, you can check out Sherwood Gardens (about a 10 minute walk from campus) for its beautiful tulips that will make you actually believe for a minute that you’re in the Netherlands.
The best part (or the worst, depending on how you look at it) of college is the fact that we’re always surrounded by people; people in class, others in the library and friends in our dorms. Quantity doesn’t mean quality though – so especially when it gets to the hectic part of the semester, just remember to take some time off of your busy schedule to just chill with friends. At the very least, your enormous workload will be made slightly more bearable if you suffer through it together.
It’s that one magical weekend that we all look forward to. Food trucks abound on campus, great stalls selling random treasures, live bands on the beach and, of course, the Beer Garden. There’s this amazing carefree atmosphere at Hopkins during those three days, which is actually the best thing ever. April 24 better come quick.
You could ask anyone on campus, and most people are going to tell you that spring semester is the more fun semester. Between getting to know your friends better, getting used to the rigorous schedule (if that’s even possible) and the magic of Spring Fair, the next four months are going to be interesting to say the least. So stock up shamelessly on the resolutions and goals, and let’s make this the best semester yet.
