Reflections on the Semester

In my sociology class, we spent the first day talking about why we go to college. Some of the reasons were very practical — it is expected of us, we need a degree to get a decent job, etc. But other reasons were more abstract, like becoming a better person, learning new ways to help people, gaining a deeper understanding of the world, developing oneself as a whole person, and discovering purpose. In the midst of finals, it is easy to lose sight of these pursuits of higher education among the menial requirements of attendance and grades. I often lack the motivation to work hard when studying for my finals because I have been working hard all semester, I’ve gleaned the important information from the classes that will benefit me later in life, and to be perfectly honest I’m burnt out and tired of studying and the task of committing the vast quantities of information I’m responsible for to memory is daunting to say the least. This semester, I’ve spent a lot of time in all of my classes looking at injustices. This has been eye-opening, interesting, challenging, emotional, and disheartening because I’ve been exposed to a bunch of problems that seem impossible to solve. I’ve learned a lot about time management, communication with peers and professors, conflict resolution, how to write long papers in a short time period, and how what I’m learning in the classroom matters and relates to the world around me. I’m excited to continue my educational journey for the remainder of college, but in the short term, I’m excited to wrap up this difficult semester.