As UNC-Chapel Hill slowly approaches Fall Break, professors continue to pile essays, projects, and exams onto the Carolina students. Personally, this may have been the most frustrating, stressful, and surprising week I have experienced at UNC so far. However, I learned a lot of lessons through the process.
I began my week by falling slightly behind in the ENGL 105 UP2 project. I planned to attend a dance class with a girl I interviewed for my project, but she canceled the day of – my first surprise of the week. The next class I could attend was Wednesday at 9:00 pm, which was past the due date of the Feeder 2.2 final draft. Nonetheless, I had an amazing time. Even though I was just observing, the positive energy in the room was contagious and helped relieve some anxiety. As a former dancer, it felt great to be back in a dance studio – an environment that feels like home to me. Lesson #1: Join organizations that make you feel happy and benefit your mental health.
After attending the class, I scrambled to complete my final draft of Feeder 2.2 with my second observation included and, then, write my UP2 Explication of Research rough draft. Lesson #2: Do not procrastinate writing an essay until the night it is due. When I returned to my room, there were guests. It was late, and I still had to complete my essay. The girls in my room were quite loud even though I hinted multiple times that I could not focus on my essay. Lesson #3: Do not be afraid to speak up for yourself or to leave a room to study elsewhere. Thankfully, I was able to complete both my Feeder 2.2 final draft and UP2 Explication of Research rough draft that night (and a little into the next morning).
The next day in ENGL 105, I gained confidence as I collaborated with others, revised my work, and learned techniques for giving presentations. Reassurance about my project from my peers and helpful strategies for how to orally communicate ideas was exactly what I needed. I feel much more prepared for the presentations on Tuesday. Also, I realized I was not alone in the stressful process. We are all scrambling to organize and gather our observations, interviews, and other resources into a final product that we could effectively present to others. Lesson #4: You are never alone. Lesson #5: Collaboration is key. It was interesting to read about what other people chose to study as well. Several students had a similar topic to mine by studying the possible mental health benefits of joining a specific club or organization.
Once I made it through my final class on Friday, I felt an immense amount of relief. It was finally the weekend! I was so excited about the UNC vs. Duke football game on Saturday. However, it turned into another stressful component of my week. The game was back and forth nearly the entire time, and with only a few seconds left in the end, it seemed like UNC was going to lose. The best surprise yet occurred: we made a touchdown and won! It was such an amazing feeling. After the game, I continued to carry that feeling into the night as I spent time with my friends. Lesson #6: There is always light at the end of the tunnel.
Featured Image:
Redmond, N. (n.d.). North Carolina versus Duke football. USA Today Sports. https://collegefootballnews.com/2021/10/north-carolina-vs-duke-prediction-game-preview-lines-how-to-watch.