As I embark upon my final year at UCLA, there is one adage that has held true throughout my college experience: “It’ll be over before you know it.”
If you’re like me, you’re probably rolling your eyes right now.
In truth, I never listened to the old sayings about time “flying by” or my experiences being over “before I knew it” simply because there was no point in agonizing about the uncertainty of my future.
This is ironic considering that the characteristic Bruin is consistently academic and career-minded, and thus obsessed with his or her future. It is against our animal nature to not plan, not stress or not have a solution.
And I’ll admit it’s incredibly difficult to ignore the question, “What happens next?”
We are bombarded by daily reminders of the sinking job market, plagued by questions of legitimizing our majors, and haunted by the endless array of decisions to make ““ whether to go to grad school, get a part-time job, or work abroad ““ to the extent that we never get to enjoy the day-to-day.
We stress about “making the most of each day” when, in fact, stressing about it spoils the saying’s original intention.
When I was a first-year, I was too busy being introduced to the hefty workload of college academics and too distracted with the rugged terrain of dorm life to have any real concept of time. Time as I knew it was broken down into week-long increments defined by complete agony and sleep deprivation from Sunday to Wednesday, and absolute relief and caffeine crashes beginning on Thursday.
My days were packed with chocolate croissants from Bruin Cafe and endless amounts of Sour Patch Kids from the Hilltop Shop, and I swayed along from one sugar rush to the next.
Then it was fall quarter of my second year. My first year was, indeed, over before I knew it.
The same can be said about my experience abroad this past winter and spring quarter. Going to Rome my third year was a somewhat unconscious and extremely rewarding decision.
Having no prior knowledge of the Italian language or culture, I decided to go out on a limb and take full advantage of the resources available at UCLA.
I signed up for the EAP Rome program, which focused on a history and art history curriculum while allowing me the chance to live and study in Rome with other University of California students.
And because I was participating in a program that brought together students from all the UCs, I had the opportunity to relive my first-year experience of living and going to school with strangers.
Being a novice to Rome and to European life in general, I spent my days sampling gelato flavors ““ of which I highly recommend cinnamon or chocolate chip ““ and memorizing subway routes, and I was too preoccupied to comprehend the months that were breezily flying by.
And even though I was technically spending my time learning and doing research, my classes were often held inside medieval churches, old libraries or national museums, so even “studying” helped the time zoom by.
Every day in Rome, rain or shine ““ well, there was more rain than shine ““ was just as lovely and fulfilling as the next, defined by trips to the open market, deep conversations over a hearty caffe latte or simply venturing through the city, listening to the hypnotic click-clacking of my boots on wet cobblestone.
Before I knew it, I was far away from the comforting lull of crooked streets and used-book stands, and I was once again wrapped up in my British Airways blanket, cradled on an international flight to LAX.
So what are you to do with your time at UCLA?
Simply put, don’t think about it. Because as much as we try to savor our experiences and make lasting memories (which manifest themselves as endless tagged pictures on Facebook), time still manages to escape us.
So go on, live day by day, cup of coffee to cup of coffee, or whatever you prefer.
Make the most of UCLA’s resources. Study abroad in a country where you know very little about the language and the culture; take an art history or ethnomusicology course that genuinely interests you, even if it has absolutely nothing to do with your major. And most importantly, take the chance to make decisions that are outside your normal character.
Sure, it’ll be over before you know it. But that doesn’t undermine your ability to fully enjoy your time here. You’re only in college once, so why waste your time thinking about it?
What’s your favorite gelato flavor? E-mail Chung at lchung@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.