sweater // jeans // vans // backpack is rebecca minkoff but sold out :( full disclosure: i bought my backpack last year so it's literally never seen the inside of a classroom. this is the backpack i used throughout high school and college. and yes, i still i have it and use it to this day.

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hi guys!

not gonna lie, it's always felt so strange to me that labor day is seen as the symbolic end of summer. when i went to school, we started in mid-august, and ucsb was on a quarter system so we didn't usually head back until the end of september. but you can definitely tell that back to school season is in the air.. from seeing kids buying school supplies everywhere to the look of stress/ relief on parents' faces haha. thinking back on my time spent in school, i realized that some of the most important lessons i learned had nothing to do with textbook material. i don't think you have to go to college in order to learn something valuable, but i learned some of my most important lessons in the four years i spent in college, so i thought i would share some of my favorites with you.

5 lessons I learned at UCSB

how to listen

this is about 90% due to my sociology classes and discussions. one of the most important lessons i've learned is to listen to someone, and not just in order to formulate a response. i promise you will be able to figure out what to say once they're finished speaking. what's important is to remember is that people have tons of different viewpoints and experiences and you can learn so much from them when you choose to listen to them. don't just hear what they're saying; listen to understand. sometimes people just need to talk simply for the sake of being heard. not for your “oh reminds me of when i….” response.

you really aren't that busy.

i think the more classes i took at once, the more free time it felt like i had because i needed to be intentional and disciplined with every minute. it all comes down to time management and being aware of your priorities. when you have less time to mess around, you get more done and a lot of people have found they are more creative when they're under a little bit of a time constraint. one of my TMP professors gave this amazing lecture about how everyone says they are "soooo busy" and because of that, the phrase doesn’t really mean much, other than that it allows you to shine when you work around that excuse. i really wish i recorded the lecture to go back and listen to it again, but the sentiment definitely stuck. you make time for what you prioritize, so what matters to you?

fake it til you make it...

whether you are trying to make friends, ace your classes, or try out for a new club or team, fake it til you make it. things fall together and what you need to succeed will come eventually. college is a great time to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and go for things that intrigue or excite you. i wanted to drop my entrepreneurship class on the first day because i am a terrible negotiator and thought i would be the worst student in the history of that class. i'm so glad i didn't because i rely on the skills i learned in that class daily.

... but you can't fake a passion.

i changed majors a lot, and i know i’m not the only one. regardless of the major you choose, know that you can’t fake passion. what classes sound most interesting to you? take them, even if they are just for elective credits. you will meet people who share the same interests as you, and you have no idea what kind of opportunities will open up as a result. you can do so many different things in life, but if you don’t have a passion for what you ultimately choose to devote most of your time to, it won’t mean as much. and your major does not always dictate or define the career you eventually choose. i know there is a ton of pressure to choose a “profitable” major that will lead to a serious career, and while there is merit to that, don’t force yourself to study biology and put yourself on a 12-year plan if it just doesn’t feel right.

everything works out in the end.

i don’t think my stress level will ever reach the same heights it did during college. i would get so nervous over things and everything turned out just fine. i took classes i couldn't even spell or say out loud, and i passed. i transferred schools, and everything turned out just fine. no matter what is thrown at you, you will get through it. i think as you grow up, you learn to have a little more faith in yourself and how to lessen your white-knuckle grip of control over everything. if you are trying your best, doing things with integrity, and have good intentions, it’s going to work out. promise.