What I learned at boating school, uh, USUE is…

This archived article was written by: Katrina Wood

Spongebob references aside, I’ve learned a lot in my two years at USU Eastern. Some lessons have been life-changing; others a bit more… how do I put it? Ah, anti-climactic.
I’ve experienced a mass of those not-so-important lessons at USUE—so many, in fact, that listing them all would take up the entire viewpoint page. So rather than take an eternity describing all of them, I’ll share my favorites. Some may seem obvious, especially for a college student, but all were lessons I didn’t understand until attending this school.
No. 1: if there’s a popular song you can’t stand, it’s going to be played at the next dance. And on the radio. And anytime you feel like listening to something that doesn’t make you want to flip a table over. There’s no avoiding this. The more you hate a song, the more likely it will be played. End of story.
No. 2: skipping class won’t kill you or your grade. Unless it’s a teacher who marks attendance for participation or if it’s a class going towards your major, there’s no harm in skipping class if you need it. Just like there’s no shame in taking it easy when you’re sick, there’s no shame in taking a mental-health day.
No. 3: you don’t have to read the entire textbook. Trust me on this. Though they’ll say otherwise, most professors don’t use every part of the book. Figure out what part they do use and save yourself the trouble. You probably have enough homework as is.
No. 4: nobody is going to judge you for what you’re wearing or what you like. Everyone’s got their own problems to deal with, and they’re not in high school anymore. Making fun of others isn’t their top priority. But if you do happen to run across someone who’s stuck in a make-fun-of-everything-that-I-don’t-like mentality, rest assure: they’ll get their reality check soon enough.
No. 5: general eds generally suck, but they don’t last forever. They’re rough and take up a lot of time, but the faster you get them done, the sooner you can move onto classes that count to your major. And you know, to other college things you’d prefer to do, like… toilet-papering the dean’s office. I don’t know if that’s actually a thing, but you get you my drift.
No. 6: stay on top of homework. Note—I’m not saying don’t procrastinate. I mean, I don’t condone procrastinating, but let’s be honest; how many actually get those huge projects and papers done at the beginning of the semester? Two of you? That’s what I thought. Rather than trying not to procrastinate the big stuff, stay on top of your little projects. That way, when it’s time to tackle the big ones, you won’t have anything else to focus on.
And finally, No. 7: contrary to my initial belief, professors are normal people. They just happen to teach college classes. They aren’t looking to ruin your life or destroy your academic record; they’re here to help and share their passions. They’re amazing people with a lot of talent and dedication, and they’ll help if you reach out to them.
There’s a lot I’ve learned at this school. I could go on for ages talking about them—and I have in previous articles. I faced hardship and trial, but overcame them to become stronger. I’ve discovered the path my Heavenly Father wants me to take, and grown closer to him in the process. I’ve made leaps and bounds in my skills and talents, and feel I’m finally ready for the real world. So look out, Provo. Here comes Spongebob—I mean Katrina.
Gah! Curse my love for cartoon references.