Reflection
How is 2022 nearly halfway over?! This year flew by like no other. I moved into my first apartment, completed my second co-op semester, attended in-person classes for the first time in nearly two years, traveled, made new friends, and have now begun my third co-op term. Here’s how my third year of college went and how I grew from it.
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I started working for Quotient Technology, a leading digital media and promotions technology company, in mid-August. I remember that morning feeling a little hectic, since I had moved to Clifton just the day before. I was so excited to explore Over-the-Rhine on walks to lunch and finally work in a real office. I had my own desk and everything! Albeit quiet in the midst of the hybrid work era, I was enamored by the old four-story building with its jungle of house plants, tall ceilings, and rooftop patio.
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So when the office closed suddenly in September, I was plunged back into the fully remote work-life-unbalance I’d had for over a year. I didn’t mind it at first, but some days I just felt like a zombie. I spent almost all of my time in my apartment. I’d talk to friends on the phone, but rarely made plans in person. I felt super disconnected.
After a few weeks of this, I realized that this obviously was not the lifestyle for me. I started talking to a therapist for the first time ever (!), went to yoga outside at Washington Park every week, and tried to cook a little more. I had been working at The Fresh Market throughout the semester (looking at you, grocery discount!), and was starting to really look forward to researching and making new recipes.
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When the fall term came to a close in mid-December, I was sad to leave my job and hoping to return the following summer. I craved the structure I got from working on long-term projects, and the connectedness from chatting with coworkers and meeting the marketing team for coffee and lunch. I did my best to continue this streak during winter break and into the spring semester.
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And it worked! I started out 2022 with so much to look forward to. My boyfriend and I planned a roadtrip to Chicago in the week before classes started, and then came back to two weeks of online classes that flew by. We started cooking together and spending more time out of the apartment even when it was freezing cold. It was the height of symphony season, too, and our student tickets were in use every single weekend Music Hall was open. I met friends for coffee, reconnected with people in my major, and got to know my city more than ever. I also kept working for UHP during the week and was ecstatic to catch up with the team.
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Returning to Quotient in the beginning of May was exactly what I needed: continuity with new things sprinkled in. I knew this time around that I’d have to make an extra effort for myself while on co-op. I left my weekend position at TFM so I wouldn’t be working six days a week, and started going to a new yoga studio near me that I’ve fallen in love with.
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All in all, I came away with more understanding of what I need from myself each day. I skimmed my last Year In Review while writing this and realized how much has changed to this point…and what I still want to change. I’m happy to say that I’m far more intentional with my time now, and that has a totally different meaning for me today. I’ve always associated intention with accomplishments, and while that hasn’t entirely changed, I’m trying to approach it differently so I don’t only feel accomplished when my pen has squeezed into the margins of my planner. That mindset has already improved how I work in school or in a job, and how I use my time to connect with friends or just take a little me-time. It’s taken a lot of reflection along the way, so coming out of this year feels refreshing but also so worth the time.