When this article is published, I’ll have started my sophomore year at FMU, and with that comes all the requisite things to consider: what and how many classes to take, how to plan school activities around my work schedule, how to allocate time between friends and family and what steps to take to keep my mental and physical health in good order.

College life is hectic, and nothing can completely prepare you for it, which is only exacerbated by the fact that most of us aren’t sure of our overall goals for college. I’ve started my second year of college with the mindset that I should just bite the bullet with certain tasks. Now, I find I’ve managed to balance all the aspects of college life, without having missed out on opportunities that appealed to me and help further my career goals.

Although I’ve always tried to stick to that mindset, I have had difficulty in reconciling it with my habit of overthinking practically everything. There have been instances – in this case, ones in college – where I bit the bullet and achieved something I thought I wouldn’t since I was unsure whether I deserved it or not. One achievement was joining the student newspaper where I didn’t know anyone, and I was unnerved at the thought of other writers being overly critical of my writing. Now, I feel like I’m part of team in which everyone shares the same interests and can learn from one another – a small community that’s trying to represent the larger community of FMU.

Another example was when several people I knew asked me to join chorus in my second semester. I’ve had a great interest in music since childhood, and singing, even in front of people, is something I’ve always liked. Yet the same fears cropped up that had accompanied me wanting to join the newspaper. However, I joined despite my feelings of apprehension and the experience was remarkable

Coincidentally, chorus came just after a biology lecture I was taking, which never fails to make me feel incredible sleepy, and as a result I had something enjoyable to look forward to. In chorus, I’d have an hour of getting to know new people, practicing various kinds of music and developing musical skills with the help of the instructor and my classmates. Also, chorus gave me a way to explore more of the campus than our usual performance spots.

Apart from being an easy A and a GPA booster, I found out that the class offers something for practically everyone who’d like to know more about FMU’s music programs, including a voice collective, jazz or percussion ensemble, concert band and a music industry ensemble.

I mention these examples to show what you can find when you take a chance, to pursue your interests or to have a little fun. Another aspect to consider is to just say yes to things and figure them out later while not forgetting to exercise common sense in making those choices. Even if taking a chance doesn’t work, I believe bad decisions lead to good stories, and in the end at least something comes out of it.

It’s an understatement to say you have to hustle in college. Between handling classes, projects, jobs, internships, interviews, workshops and countless other things, it’s good to keep in mind that these are opportunities you should seize when you can. Working hard and being involved now will pay off in the long run.