The past few days have been a blur. The new year opened its doors and quickly, I found myself on a plane on my way to New Hampshire. After having a hard time leaving home, I was excited to be back at Dartmouth, seeing my friends and starting winter term. Seeing my friends again was quite the emotional moment. You would be surprised how close you grow to people in just three months. The way we talked last night seemed as if we had been separated for about an hour. The joy that I find around them made homesickness quickly fade away. With homesickness left in the plane, I am now ready to start my second term at Dartmouth.
I have learned my lessons from a great first term. I know myself a lot better now. I know my study habits, my weaknesses, my work ethic and I have reinstated my motivation. Winter term, they say, takes a psychological toll on the Dartmouth student. The bitter cold of the Northern woods, mixed with the ever-lasting snow build the stage for stress to come in. Thus, with this in mind, I find it very important that I know myself better now and I am sure that I will be able to prevail through winter term.
A new year. A new term. A new environment (bitter cold). Yet, despite the new circumstances, there are things that remain constant. The new year has not changed my motivation nor my determination to perform at the level that I know I am capable of as well as to exceed what is expected from me. I know that this is easier said than done, yet, I believe that a strong mindset is critical during a term like this one. I am excited for what this new year will bring. Or rather, what I will make this year bring. Throughout the years, I have learned that life gives you very little. It is up to you to bring the rest and it is my plan to accomplish more than I did last year.
To anyone that reads this, do not let the new year be the inflection point of your life. The new year should be a continuation of all the hard work that you have been doing for the past years. A new year should not be like a reset button. A new year should just be a landmark that marks your progress. A new year ends but your work and the reason for your work does not. Take a deep breath, because here we go again.