HawkTalk
London Allen Off Campus On campus Trey | Chicago

The Break Necessities: Reflection and Revival

You wake up bright and early. You go to Hawks, grab yourself a coffee and go to the library. You take out the study materials for your last final for review. Your hair is gray after all you’ve had to endure this semester, but this is it. You go to your final, you survive and you are finished. Now it is time for a break. 

Getting ice cream while catching up with friends

My first semester at Wagner, while fun and eye-opening, was also emotionally and physically draining.  It was my first time being away from home for an extended period of time, meeting so many new people, being in a new environment and having a new schedule. All the while writing so many papers made my first semester, the least to say, overwhelming. However, what allowed me to recuperate as well as reflect on my first semester, was a break. 

Breaks, from anything really, are so important. My break allowed me to regain my sanity by going home and reminding me of my support system there. It allowed me to separate myself from school and remember that there is a life outside of it. It put into perspective, that while everything may seem all-consuming while you’re going through it, especially in a sometimes seemingly suffocating small campus such as Wagner, it actually is not. A lot happens over the course of a semester, and sometimes a small campus can make it feel much bigger than it actually is. However, sometimes you may just need a break in a new environment or around familiar people you care about and you may be reminded of the small treasures in life instead of worrying about clubs, finals, friends, or your future. 

Walking around Baltimore with my best friend (behind the camera)

During my break, I got to see my family, my close friends, and my old teachers. It allowed me to look at my first semester at Wagner in a new lens which can be hard to do when you are on campus surrounded by everything that is overwhelming you. It allowed me to create new goals for the semester that will help me grow as a person. In doing so my break also allowed me to miss Wagner and think about why I like it here as well. I have met amazing people, I also have a support system here and I have made great personal connections. I have made memories I will never forget, I have gone outside my comfort zone, for better or for worse, and I have grown as a person. So now, after my much-needed break, I cannot wait to see what Wagner has in store for me this semester.