Student Perspective Friends & Social Life - Spring Semester 2024
When it comes to reflecting on my semester, somehow I always struggle to find the right words to start with. This semester was not an easy one, but it was certainly one that worked out and one of growth. I recently completed the year that is known more as the “weed-out” year among my major. During this year most students figure out whether they have a love for this major or not, and accordingly, they choose to stay in or not. However, for sure the nature of the classes I took this past semester bonded the students of them stronger.
Through them, I met new people and also transformed my existing acquaintances into friendships. This semester my friends and I often had camp-out study sessions in the infamous Lockwood basement – a lot of engineering students like this floor due to its quiet but also group study nature, and Carl’s corner.
During these study sessions, we usually shared a comfortable silence and locked in on our tasks. However, there also were moments when we lost our minds over assignments, stressed out, or took naps to take breaks. Through all though, we supported one another emotionally and eventually did a good job.
For the next semester, a new task for us is to find new spots though. We have utilized these spaces too much, we need new ones. For some nights, especially before a midterm or a final, we invaded conference rooms or lecture halls in Davis Hall, and totally did not review the whole material before the day of the exam(!). This semester I also got introduced to boba tea through my friends, which is now one of my favorite drinks.
While a lot of our hangouts were study-based, many more were not. Several evenings we took off to get sweet treats together. One night, I introduced my friends to Crumbl Cookies, which is something that I take pride in.
Other nights we played pool or bowling or just simply hung out and played video games. I had never really been into video games before this year. However, through my friends I got to discover that world – more specifically Super Smash Bros. Thanks to those evenings, I am much better than I used to be on it, and now actually can win.
If I were to share a couple of highlights of the semester, one of them would be the Super Bowl party that my friend organized. This year, the Chiefs won once again. However, our get-together was not really about the football. It rarely is. It is more about the social company, and contemplations around when the Bills would go to the Super Bowl, and how they would do it.
During this, my friend cooked for all of us, and I still can taste the sandwich, which is a secret recipe. Next time, I will also contribute with my repertoire as well. In addition to this, another favorite moment from this semester for me was the solar eclipse. It was such a climactic event. Whole two weeks leading up to the event, the university was giving out eclipse glasses. However, my friends and I had not planned an official get-together. On the morning of it, I asked one of my friends what she was doing for the eclipse, and from there we both texted other friends eventually we came together as 20-30 friends and joined the university community on the hill next to the bookstore to watch the eclipse. It was moving to see such a big community come together to experience such a rare event.
I like spring at UB. When the first sunny day arrives, the joy on people’s faces is evident as well as in their approach toward life. Enjoying the weather as a community, riding bikes in the evening breeze, and many more are irreplaceable. It is often said meaning is found not (only) in the lines of a text, but in the space between those lines. During this semester I learned a lot from my friends about life, classes, and values through the lines and the spaces between them. I am beyond grateful to be surrounded by and be a part of such a community. Beyond these, I also had some academic epiphanies, which I will share in my next writing.
Before coming to UB I was nervous whether I would find my community here or not. Now, two years later, I feel blessed to be part of the communities that I am part of. Not only have my communities been my communities, but also, they have helped me to become a better version of myself on countless aspects. This summer, I will be working as an Orientation Leader, mentoring the incoming students through the beginning of their UB journey.
Watching Solar Eclipse at the UB Campus
