In the beginning of the semester, as at any college, Syracuse University is completely wrapped up in the freshman class. Upperclassmen definitely don’t require the same attention and assistance that new students deserve, so it is solely up to us, as students who have already experienced college, to make sure we take care of ourselves.
This past week, 3,500 new students were welcomed to this university with open arms by orientation leaders, faculty and student volunteer groups, such as Goon Squad and Colores.

Meanwhile, somewhere on South Campus, off-campus houses and a few residence halls, returning students were fending for themselves, because they have this whole college life down to a science.

Right? Not necessarily. The enthusiasm of first walking onto your college campus fades, and the stress sets in.

In an article published on Aug. 24 titled “Are Millennials really the ‘Me’ generation?” CNBC writer and SU alumna Cindy Perman touched on various aspects of “millennials,” including how important it is for young people to reconnect with themselves and feel happy.

Life coach Steve Fagan explains in the piece, “If you’re happy with yourself, your confidence level goes up. If you’re confident, you’re able to take chances and step outside your comfort zone. And you have more energy and more excitement to look forward to your day at work.”

As upperclassmen, it can feel like a daunting task having to constantly renew your energy, enthusiasm and drive to face another semester that may be more difficult and unexpected than the last. The bar is set higher as you move deeper into your major courses, attempt to get settled into a new living space and maintain the friendships you have started building in previous years.

At times like these, where we face a turning point and prepare to add yet another chapter to our growing list of college memories, it becomes even more important to feel just as refreshed and brand new as we did freshman year.

Think back to when you first stepped on the SU campus with a sense of thrill and enthusiasm for the next chapter. This excitement remains for many upperclassmen when they return to campus, but we know what the reality of college is like. We know what it’s like to struggle with the balance of academics, friendships and extracurricular activities.

As we advance, the goal is to endure and maintain the same spark of excitement we once felt as eager freshmen. It becomes more difficult to keep outside powers from influencing your decisions and ultimately making you stressed out.

We always remind ourselves to stay centered and keep things in perspective when entering a new semester. But when exams roll around and the assignments pile up, those same words of wisdom are tossed out of the windows of E.S. Bird Library or wherever you may be hiding at that point.

As an upperclassman, you know that you are just as likely to feel like you’re drowning in stress and anxieties as you are to have more fun than you’ve ever experienced before.

Just like facing a fear of heights, the only way to combat the twists, turns and curveballs that you’ll encounter in college is to face them.

After all, the four years of undergrad are about developing character and life skills. Your freshman year merely scratches the surface of what this college experience could mean.

So as classes begin and our SU emails begin to look like a scene out of “Armageddon,” remind yourself of the carefree spirit you once felt as a freshman. Remind yourself just how much this university has to offer, and how much you can also bring to the table.

Nina Rodgers is a sophomore sociology major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at nmrodger@syr.edu.

Published on August 27, 2013 at 2:32 am