This semester won't be one with lower taxes or better relations between Auburn and Alabama fans, but one with 8 a.m. classes and construction scattered throughout campus.
For the last few years, January has been a month of new academic beginnings, and this January will be my last.
For returning seniors who will graduate in May, I commend you. If this is the beginning of the last semester for you, enjoy yourself and all that Auburn will reveal. If this semester is one of many to come, then reality is much like it is in semesters past. Long weekdays and even longer weekends. The library, followed by coffee, followed by the bars.
If this week is just another week of the hundreds to come, I also commend you. Everyone should be doing what they enjoy in life, and if Auburn provides what you want, enjoy it.
Beginning every semester I sometimes find myself questioning myself more often. Why am I still here? Is college going to get me where I want to be?
After several nights of rummaging through my thoughts, the answer is still yes.
We are all probably striving for what we want to do in life, but we should also strive for what we should be doing. If Auburn is what you should be doing, bravo. The Orange and Blue prevail. It will be the building block to whatever you want it to be.
Going to class and passing is one route, but how far will a degree take you these days? Why not push yourself into uncharted territory and spend some time out of your comfort zone?
Experience in your field is key to success after college, so finding a way to incorporate it into your school schedule is a must. Whether it be an unpaid internship or asking someone to shadow them, anything that goes beyond the classroom will help you stand out.
Going to class for a few hours a week and studying a couple more sounds nice, but truly dedicating yourself to your work will pay off.
So what reality should we expect this year?
We outlasted the Mayan calendar and watched Alabama add to their 27 (or is it 30?) national championships, so it must be something unexpected.
Maybe the Superbowl will be filled with straight-forward ads that don't confuse audiences at all and maybe the NHL will be entertaining this year.
The circle of life can be tricky sometimes, but this semester I believe one thing should be expected. Live the life you know you should be living and expect exactly what you put into it.
Starting something is usually the toughest step in any process you begin, but at least you started.
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