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Lessons from First Semester of College

Although my first semester of college was fine overall, there were certain things that I wished I could have done better. I think it is good that I notice these problems earlier instead of waiting till the last year of college and realizing how problematic certain things are in my life. 

1. Exercise 

I exercised last semester by signing up for a quarter-long PE class and playing tennis recreationally once a week, but this probably amounted to 2.5 hours a week, which isn't a lot. After the PE class ended, that number decreased even more. By not exercising, I was more sluggish and not that energetic. This behavior indirectly made me less conscious of my dietary choices. 

It is a pity that I didn't consider running along the magnificent Charles River right next to my dorm. I came up with lots of excuses to not run since I associated running with discomfort and boredom. If I were to go back in time, I would tell my past self to play some podcasts or music as a form of entertainment. 

2. Food 

I went from obsessively counting calories and weighing my food before college to eating all kinds of junk food by the end of the semester. It is depressing to think about how I approached eating on both ends of the spectrum. Looking back, I am still speechless about how I ended up in that spot. My only plausible theory is that my relationship with food was like a slippery slope. I started off accepting a free cookie at an event, then I allowed myself to eat dessert on the communal table, ultimately letting go of my past restrictions on sweets and unhealthy food. 

I believe that one can still live a healthy lifestyle while eating desserts occasionally and being mindful of their intake. I, on the other hand, did not want to think about how many extra calories I was eating from all this free food, whether it was boba tea or donuts. Unsurprisingly, I experienced the freshman ten after spending four months in college. 

It wasn't until I went back home for two weeks and had a detox that my body was able to equilibrate and not always crave sugar. It was a bit daunting and scary at first, but I ended up getting used to my past life and was relieved that I didn't spiral downhill even more. 

I don't like how I am describing sugary food as some sort of drug, but it isn't wrong to cite scientific evidence claiming that sweetness can exceed the reward found in cocaine.

3. Sleep 

I don't know if this was inevitable since a lot of college students stay up late, but I really wished I could have slept at least 30 minutes to an hour earlier. I cringe when I think back to my video call with my roommate before college started as I told her that I went to bed before 11 PM. Well, guess what? I started orientation by going to bed at 11 PM, then by September I slept at 11:30 PM, and by November it was 12 AM. 

By going to bed at a later time, I didn't really have the opportunity to experience a golden hour. I would groggily get out of bed at 7:30 AM to go to the 9 AM lecture. I never had the problem of being on time for morning classes, but there wasn't time for me to take a step back and simply breathe. What I mean by a golden hour is when you get to wake up early in the morning and devote an hour to something meaningful, such as exercising or reading a book. 

4. Clubs 

I regret not being proactive when it came to holding club officer positions because I made the excuse of how I didn't like doing administrative work. Sure, administrative work can be frustrating at times, but how else could I increase my dedication and commitment to a club? There were officer elections for last semester and I didn't even try filling out an application because I thought being a member was good enough. Although I tried to make that up by increasing my responsibility in the club this year, I will always have that tinge of regret. 

Afterword: 

As I write about aspects of college last semester that wasn't that ideal, I noticed how beneficial the IAP term is for my personal growth and development. IAP (Independent Activities Period) is MIT's January term in which students can do a whole wide of activities, from taking fast-paced classes to teaching students in foreign countries. For me, IAP consisted of taking a chemistry lab course and studying for the biology placement exam. During IAP, I used this time to experiment with healthier habits such as cooking for myself and avoiding unhealthy food. I also developed some interest in jogging along the Charles River and various streets in Boston because jogging in the city is different from home. There is always something new to explore, whether it is the Boston Public Garden or BU's campus. Another great change during IAP is that I somehow managed to go to bed by 11 PM most of the time (the latest so far was 11:30 PM because my mom called me). It is crazy how magical reading books does to my brain. After I read for 30 minutes, my eyes feel so tired that I go to bed and within 15-20 minutes, I fall asleep.  Reading makes me feel at peace and calm as I forget about the worries in my day-to-day life. I also notice that spending 5-10 minutes writing in my diary helps a lot too, though I think reading has a bigger impact. 

I can't guarantee that these habits will persist once the spring semester starts, but I am more hopeful that I will be more conscious of my physical health. 

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