A New Year's Resolution for a Happier College Experience by Hannah

A New Year's Resolution for a Happier College Experience by Hannah - January 2016 Scholarship Essay

Too often during my first semester of college I found myself overly concerned about my grade in every single class I was taking. While I understand that grades are important during one’s college career, I am also beginning to learn that going to college is not just about the grades I get. The college experience is defined by more than just the grades a person receives. I want to remember my time at Syracuse University for more than just the time that I spent in the classroom. That is why one of my New Year’s resolutions that I feel will make me a better student during the upcoming year is to find a more successful balance between studying and setting aside more time for activities outside of the classroom.
One of the reasons why I chose this resolution is because I am a broadcast and digital journalism major. Due to the rigors and tasks that make up this career field, the best way to gain valuable experience is not always going to be by taking an exam or writing a 10-page research paper. The experience that future employers will look at will come from what I can do in a studio or out in the field. I can have the greatest grades in the world, but if I do not take the skills I learn in class and practice them in say a campus television studio or radio broadcast station, why learn the skills in the first place. My skills inside the classroom are just as important as those outside of the classroom in the field. Although this resolution involves participation in activities outside of the classroom, I will be a better student for it because I would be applying skills that my professors have taught me.
Getting involved with campus activities was a goal I set for myself during my first semester. I want to enjoy my college experience and participate in fun activities that I like doing such as singing, musical theater, and volunteering. While I think I definitely immersed myself in a lot of what my campus has to offer during the first semester, I want to do so even more during the next one. That’s where my New Year’s resolution comes in. While I still want to focus on my grades, I also want to take time for some of these other activities as well. Joining different clubs and groups will give me the opportunity to continue meeting new people, gaining new experiences, and creating more memories. I want to look back on my college experience and remember that I had fun, that I tried new things and that I broadened my horizons. I believe that finding a better balance between my time spent in and outside of the classroom is going to be the best way to achieve these hopes that I have for myself and my college experience.
Someone may disagree with my resolution asking how spending more time on activities outside of the classroom could possibly make me a better student. My answer to that person is that a student is not solely defined by what they do in a classroom. A student is also characterized by how they apply skills they learn in the classroom in the real world, how they interact with their peers, worldly experiences that they have gained on their own, and the special qualities that only they can bring to a class. These experiences, skills, and qualities are developed by time spent both in the community and across campus as well as in the classroom. All of that being said, next semester not only do I plan to maintain my GPA, but I also plan to audition for a musical, go to basketball games, join a volunteer club, and even go to the gym more often, because like almost every other person in this world that is also one of my New Year’s resolutions.