It's not often I'm tempted to use song lyrics as a post title but I've felt it's been necessary for this particular post because of how true it is right now. I'm just (as of tomorrow, really) starting my third week of college and although there are many teething problems and things to get used to I've come to the conclusion tonight that, for the moment at least, things are getting better and they're gonna keep getting that way as long as I play things safe.
In terms of friends, the college environment is one that's proving a challenge to overcome while still maintaining the close circle of friends I had from high school as best as I can and, on another hand (another, not 'the other'), I'm getting to see old friends again that I grew apart from due to the years gap between us. There have been worries, upsets and problems already (the details of which I'll spare for the sake of people involved) but, as far as I'm concerned, that's natural given the almost-3-month holiday and the huge change that college is and I'm willing to work through things as best as I can with them. It's a farce to think that we'll all stay as close as we were in high school, to be brutally honest, because we're not going to see each other half as much in school time. I mean we've all taken different subjects so just by that constraint the amount we see each other is drastically dropped...but despite that I do firmly believe that we'll all stay friends because we have that history of good, close friendship in high school that means that, no matter what happens (barring mass murder), I'll always love them and try to see the best in them. The social scene in college is gonna take some time to get used to, the college itself is taking a lot to get used to, but I'm an adaptable person so I think that'll help me a lot with the transition and coping with things.
Something else that I'll have to cope with (that I think I am doing well at the moment) is the workload. At my college we're currently in an 'Induction Period', though the full definition of that is unknown to me, for the moment the work that I'm doing is coming to me rather easily...which is a good thing really. My current plan/objective is to complete work as soon as I'm set it and to the best of my ability so that I'm not swamped with work. That's worked very well until this weekend when I've neglected two pieces of work for Further Maths and Biology...but they'll be done shortly so that's fine and they're not due in for a while yet. There's no doubt in my mind that once the Induction Period is over that the work will pick up in both intensity and quantity...but I'm willing to struggle and put in whatever effort I need to in order to come out with the grades I need to achieve my ultimate goal: Medicine. The work is fun and interesting though, which may sound bizarre to most people when I now inform you that I've taken Maths, Further Maths, Biology & Chemistry but I really do mean it. The teachers are helpful and fun to be with in lesson, perhaps that stems from the informal college environment, and I'm already working my way into extra-curricular activities like Choir (putting my excessive singing to use) and a Maths Challenge (geeky but I thought I'd go for it) so...as reluctant as I am to say it (for superstitious reasons) I'm really enjoying the work.
The final thing that I considered in my theme of things getting better is something that's been the bane of my extended summer holiday: Money. Keeping figures and names out for my own security, in the next month my income should be almost doubling in amount...which is good news to me because it means I'll be able to get my friends some gifts for their birthdays (I'm still sticking with my plan to make people cookies for christmas though, I think that could be fun!) as well as do things outside of college and have money for me...though some of it will be saved of course, I've got to learn to be responsible now (oh the tragedy, I've got to grow up :P). That's another reason why things have gotten better for me now.
I apologise if this blog post has come across as very boastful and bragging, which I won't deny if it has, but I felt I had to post this because of how negatively I've been looking at things lately and how suddenly they seemed to have turned. So, in a way, this is part of my mental growth to accepting that things are changing, acknowledging that things are changing and thinking ahead at how to handle things. Hopefully it's been a bearable post and hopefuly things carry on how they are for me, I know I'd very much like it if they do!
-Aiden
