During the last two weeks, I had the hardest time getting through the semester. My life was nearly out of control. Why? Homework? Group projects? Midterms? Meetings? Should I complain about “school work” in this opinion piece?
Everyone’s busy. Everyone’s tired. Statuses on Facebook are usually, “This week’s killing me,” or, “Almost Friday!”
With a full 16-credit course load (dear mass communication, anthropology and philosophy), 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. newspaper work, being a concession manager and having work study job, I definitely agree with them and update my status as well. I came up with a question: If college life has been killing me, how will I survive in the real world?
With all the seniors around me, I started to think and realize I am not that little freshman anymore. I cannot worry about adapting to the campus and surviving here, the entire milieu.
Several weekends ago, I went to a Chinese Christian Church even though I don’t strictly believe in God. A Chinese-American woman, who had a successful career in government affairs and a college education, gave a speech about how to survive in the United States.
Two things she said (in Chinese) impressed me: that she had had a second marriage at 62 years old, and “all struggling at school gives you an opportunity to learn from mistakes instead of paying with double prices.”
Yes, I should appreciate what I am struggling with right now. I should stop complaining. I should keep going after 10 hours of sleep and a brunch with a yummy waffle.
It reminds me of a quote from the ancient Chinese class, even though I feel ashamed that I had never thought it was
particularly useful: “When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a great man, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, exposes him to starvation and poverty, harasses him by troubles and setbacks so as to stimulate his spirit, toughen his nature and enhance his abilities.”
I don’t want to represent everyone and say hard times in college are not a big deal, but when you open your door to the real world, leave your parents’ house and are independent without knowing where your next meal is, the suffering and struggling you learned from college is what you hold on to.

Jaffy Xiao/Features editor
Jaffy Xiao can be reached at [email protected].