Freshman Reflection

Published by Shelbi Tierney on Tue, May 03, 2016

Reina Cooke
Aviation Management and Operations

As my first year of college comes to a close, I thought it would be appropriate to compile a list of all that I’m thankful for. I owe the success of year one to many, but rather than list my family, friends, mentors, and professors (which are a given), I hope you will find this list less cliché. The first year flew by in a blur and I found it unfortunately easy to overlook just how much I should appreciate. After recovering from finals/moving week, I took the time to reflect back on my freshman year and everything I learned, both inside and outside of the classroom.

I am thankful that I’ve failed. These failures have opened my eyes to see that there will always be more failures to come and most importantly, that that’s okay. A test that even after a long night of studying, I still didn’t manage an A. Scholarships that I didn’t quite have the experience required, or even friendships that just weren’t meant to be. I took my failures as a learning experience, as a “what can I improve on next time?” So I learned that that study method wasn’t right for me, or to take a deep breath and talk more slowly in interviews.

I am thankful for my weaknesses that remind me I am not perfect and show me areas I can improve. Whether it be in writing essays for that technical communications class, cooking spaghetti sauce, or remembering to listen to the other side of the story. Just like my failures, it’s all about the learning experience.

I am thankful for the things I cannot change. Even though I wish I could, it reminds me that I am not in control. It has taught me acceptance. Rules, due dates, personality clashes: all things you simply have to learn to work with.

I am thankful for the things I never wanted to experience. It is through these that I have learned and grown the most, and it has taught me that what I want is not necessarily what I need.

I am thankful for kind strangers, for brightening my day when I least expect it. WMU’s campus is full of compassionate individuals, like those who hold the door open for you, let you take the last cheese burger in the caf if you’re in a rush, or lend you a quarter if you’re just that short in the laundry room. Sometimes after a stressful day, that’s all it takes to put things back into perspective.

I am thankful that I have felt disappointment, because now I know what I value the most.

I am thankful for all the life lessons. The College of Aviation taught me just as much about airplanes as it did about life. Stressing attendance in class because attendance and punctuality is required in the workforce and making me realize that one day, my classmates could be my co-workers. Events like Aviation Outlook Day and guest speakers from the industry also provide real life experience that is just as valuable.

Overall, I’ve realized that I have much more to appreciate than I originally thought. Although my first year has ended, what it has taught me will stay with me for a lifetime.