university of texas at zoom.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

That is Summer of 2020, which came and passed so fast. Now here we are, in August, about to start a whole new year in a fashion that not even the best psychic could have guessed: online with an unseen virus wreaking havoc on the world.

Yet, reality is not the worst that it could be. Here are five things that I am excited for this coming year:

1. I moved out of the dorms and into my own place — with a kitchen! — so here’s to my own shower and learning how to cook.
2. Exploring Austin! I barely had time to step foot off of campus last year and, while I wish my classes were in-person (if COVID-19 wasn’t a thing), I am excited to have more time to love on my city.
3. Take out the sparkling grape juice and streamers because I got accepted into Canfield Business Honors! After a whole year of debating whether or not to apply, a nerve-wrecking application submission, and a sudden but thankful 80-minute interview with a BHP Alumni where the most professional thing I had with me at the time was a plain T-Shirt and damp-just-showered hair, I managed to prove that I have what it takes to not just be in McCombs but in Business Honors, which (in case you didn’t know) is difficult in general but more so when you are trying to transfer in as a sophomore. I’m crazy excited to challenge myself even more this year.
4. People. I know, I know: COVID. But being on campus is different. I have lived in a large metroplex all of my life. However, being downtown, and not just in such a highly populated city (Austin) but in a large, local community (UT), the feeling is a shot of serotonin. My mood immediately lifted being back in Austin. While hanging out with people and going to classes or org meetings seems foreign, just being able to see the diversity of this environment and yet understand and contribute to our cohesiveness is amazing.
5. Growing myself. During my four years of high school, I grew so much as a person; I learned and began to appreciate so much in life and about myself. However, freshman year of college was equivalent, if not more, to those four years of high school. Even just experiencing the wildness of these past months, I already know pre-COVID and current-COVID are vastly different. I have been able to accomplish so much for myself, and I don’t just mean that in an academic or career (lmao, really not career – I have no clue what I’m doing) sense, but in a personal sense. I am so so excited to see how much I will have grown by the time sophomore year ends.

This year has been… yea… but there is no reason that a pandemic should take this time away from us. We have the opportunity to live through this, in whatever stage of life you happen to be in as of current, and grow through it as well as from it.

Let this year be your year (even though we’re nearly in September, oops).