Freshman should plan ahead, reach out for guidance

This afternoon, I finally compiled my syllabi and made an effort to map out my exam schedule… This afternoon, I finally compiled my syllabi and made an effort to map out my exam schedule for next week. And even scarier than the notion that those delightful tests are just days away is the realization that there are only seven days left in my freshman year of college.

When I pointed this out to my family, they laughed good-naturedly and sighed that I was fortunate to have so much time on my hands to figure out my future. I still have years to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Even this year’s juniors and seniors might agree: a freshman in college does not need to know too much about classes, internships, job fairs and resumes. Aside from fulfilling general education requirements, we can pretty much do whatever we want.

Um – I beg to differ.

Maybe I’m exerting too much pressure on myself and my peers to pick up as many majors and minors and certificates and extracurricular activities as possible. After all, life is not a game of jacks, and freshmen actually do have more time on their hands than upperclassmen. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to be serious about the choices we make. We feel pressure, too, to fulfill requirements.

Unconvinced? Consider the fact that at Pitt, the average undergraduate faces at least two or three semesters of those dreaded gen eds. Additionally, most majors demand a minimum 12-credit concentration along with the required courses. Completing a minor is another 15-18 credits, approximately; a certificate is 15-24.

And there’s of course the major, somewhere in the ballpark of 30 credits. And then, students with plans for obtaining a master’s degree have to consider any prerequisites for their graduate school of choice.

We live in one of those really competitive countries where so many people opt for some kind of combination of the above possibilities. And that means we all have to stay pretty organized, right from the very beginning.

Instead of the knowing reassurances and jealous sighs I have become familiar with as I debate my life goals, I’d really prefer to encounter expressions that show actual concern. I’d prefer my elders to admit that just because I’m younger does not mean that I can only enjoy myself in Counting Butterflies 101. My decisions matter, too.

Teachers, friends and family should provide genuine advice when we ask about getting involved and taking leadership roles. The demands faced, even by lowly freshmen, are serious enough to deserve at least that.

Yes, I understand that the groans elicited by an 18-year-old’s panicky questioning are merely attempts at keeping everyone grounded. Our parents’ and advisers’ efforts to make sure we try everything, refuse nothing, are extremely well-intended – and yes, we truly do have more time than the sophomores, juniors and seniors who face confusion too.

For those reasons, I’ve occasionally told myself that there’s no reason to cry just yet. The list of occupations that seem interesting to me could probably cover miles of terrain, and on days when I feel like I don’t know what to do, the “I’ve got time to figure it out” mantra helps to restore some calm.

But we need our elders’ understanding, even more than we need our own, so that we can use their suggestions in making the right calls. (How often do teenagers beg for the input of those older than themselves? Jump on the opportunity!)

Everyone, even freshmen, have this undeniable pressure on us to be something, do something important with our lives. With that comes the expectation that we put a lot on our plates and manage it efficiently. We don’t necessarily have more than a semester or two to dabble all over the place. And in only a few days, my two semesters are up, I’m still confused and I’m frustrated that few people realize why.

It’s not pity I’m seeking. It’s not “all the answers.” I’m searching for something that everyone, from pop stars to Donald Trump, can empathize with: the right to simply be taken seriously.

Give Carolyn your own advice at ceg36@pitt.edu.