The first day of school has arrived. The daily grind of note taking, studying, test taking, commuting and working can be wearisome, so naturally, most students’ favorite part of the school year is the end. But I’ve looked forward to this all summer the way most students crave a vacation during the long school year.
I understand why many students would kill for summer break to arrive more quickly. Waking up early for class and staying up late to finish homework or cram for a test was a chore for me during high school. I loathed many of my classes, simply because I felt as though I was memorizing facts and figures that would be useless to me in real life. College, however, is a different story.
It’s never all work and no play; the first few weeks back are filled with happy reunions and campus events that promote a good feeling in our academic environment. Our transition from summer to fall is made much easier with some fun-filled encouragement. But most importantly, the material we work to commit to memory finally matters to our careers.
There are no throwaway bits of worthless information; everything learned is something substantial gained because knowledge gives us the freedom to reinvent ourselves.
This could all be because I’m just a bit of a nerd who loves to learn, but I spent a long time preparing myself for a laborious journey toward a medical career, and I’ve finally become the academically disciplined and ambitious person I want to be. It’s only when the school year and its many demands arrive that I slip back into this new and improved self.
Summer days are beautifully lazy, but they are counterintuitive to the nature of a busy student. Like most NSU students, I am used to being on the go and under perpetual pressure from some deadline or due date. I never know what to do with idle time; it feels wrong to have nothing important to do.
As much as I know some of my classmates will be yawning and whining all through the first week, I’ve looked forward to having my sense of purpose renewed. Be it a lab report or a term paper, I feel at my best when I have a task to complete.
I suppose this is what it means to be a student at my core. The need to maintain a sense of productivity by accomplishing small goals on a daily basis is ingrained in me. I regard this as a sign of complete acceptance of my current role. It’s my job to be a student, and I don’t mind defining myself by this job.
Once the educational phase of my life comes to an end, I plan to enjoy using my knowledge and skills to help others care for their health. I hope to never become the sort of working professional whose favorite part of the day is its end.
This same attitude can be applied to any academic or career ambition; college students spend precious time, money and energy to earn a piece of paper that qualifies them to perform services for others in their chosen fields. In the meantime, we should embrace the daily tasks we are required to accomplish, as practice for the rest of our working lives.
Here’s to a fun and successful academic year.
