Hi Dins! This is a new column by yours truly, Bea. The general theme of this column will be advice to students on all things life, Furman, and everything in between. Informality will be our thing, and you could go as far as to call it a parasocial relationship, if you please. I want my column to be something to take the oh-so overbearing academic edge out of Furman. If this sounds like your thing, stay tuned!

So, full disclosure, my first article was originally going to post circa late-September. Now that Helene shook up our semester, we’re basically at the end of October. I was originally hoping to do my intro piece about how to get through the stress of midterms. However, we’re now pivoting to surviving the stress of (hopefully) the craziest semester you’ll have here at Furman. I know, I know. I totally just jinxed us. But don’t you find the chaos and uncertainty of it all a little fun? If not, maybe open that door and dive deeper into that.

So, one hurricane later, and we’ve got entirely new syllabi. How are you doing? Me, personally? I’m just hanging on for the ride. But, my favorite thing to do is give advice to others that I really ought to be taking to heart myself, so here it goes!

Real life things I have heard since returning from our impromptu hurrication:

“I am drowning in work!”
Boy oh boy, me too! However, when I find Furman to feel the most overwhelming, time also moves the quickest. So how do I get through it if I’m living the uncomfortable parts now? I just try to put the things I love over my school work and responsibilities. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but finding a healthy work-life balance now will make you all the more well-rounded later on. Go for that walk. Watch that episode of “One Tree Hill.” Go in pointless circles around the Miracle Thrift. Just do something that brings you joy before you get burnt out. And if you really feel like you can’t take a break, incorporate something new into your studying. Set your laptop up on the treadmill, put your best playlist on and power walk while you review. I’m typing this on the treadmill as I write this.

“I feel homesick!”
Unfortunately, this time of year is hard for a multitude of reasons. With everything going on, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when I imagine you had a gazillion plans that got derailed by the hurricane. It’s important to acknowledge that this is just a funky year. Your feelings are valid. One way I recommended making it feel a little better is acknowledging that your friends here are your family. Plan something fun, like apple picking or designing holiday cards. Find something that you’d normally do with your family (or wish you could make them do) and do it with people feeling the exact same way. Find comfort in familiarity.

“I don’t like my classes/teachers!”
Okay, fair. Sometimes we just have to take classes that are out of our field of interest. However, you can always make the best of it. My best advice for surviving what may seem unbearable — make friends with the
professor. Go to their office hours or talk to them outside of class. And you don’t have to talk about class. Some of my favorite professors teach topics that put me to sleep! However, I now know everything about their dogs or hobbies or favorite Netflix show. Humanize them. Because that’s what they are: humans. Scary ones, albeit, but they were probably just as scared as us a long time ago.

Okay, I am out of words for this one. However, it was fabulous to meet you. I know this time of year is hard, and I know recent circumstances have made it harder. But try to enjoy it. These are supposed to be “the best years of our lives.” That may be too lofty of an expectation, but I at least hope I can reflect on them fondly.

Leave all of your thoughts here for my next post: bit.ly/3YAokNx 🙂

All my love,
XOXO
Bea