Letter to My First-Year Self: Bethany Mitchell
Dear Bethany,
You made it to New York! Have an amazing time here. You will be challenged and learn about yourself. You think you have everything planned out. Some of the things you plan will happen, but a lot of them won’t and you’ll find something even better. You’ll make amazing friends and find a passion. And you’ll learn to finally listen and trust yourself.
You will have experiences you never imagined. You’ll see countless Broadway shows. You’ll go to the US Open. Take advantage of it. You’re in a special place at such a perfect time in your life. Go to the museums, accept the brunch invitations, and explore the city. Take advantage of the times you can be outside in the city. There is nothing more perfect than a sunny, spring day in New York City. (P.S. You’ll never adjust to the cold.)
You will change your major. It’s okay. Accept yourself and make the decision best for you. It will allow you to learn about something you’re passionate about. You’ll discover a career path you love, and you’ll start finding your way in it. You’ll also get to study abroad. Spending four months in Tel Aviv will be perfect. You will meet some of your best friends, and get to explore a country you have dreamed about. Live in the moment and work on your hebrew.
You’ll learn how to balance time for yourself and time for your friends. It’s amazing drinking Boba Guys in the park for hours. Spend hours reading in Think Coffee or Irving Farm. Make time each week for yourself. Set aside two hours to read a book or listen to a podcast during your hectic weeks. Have coffee or lunch with a friend as much as you can every week. Make time for them, you’ll be happier with them. You don’t have to go out every weekend. Have movie nights with your roommates and go to brunch with your friends. Find your people and your places and have time for them.
Your senior year will not end how you expect. You’ll go home in March and finish classes online. It’s going to be tough and scary. But you will find out how resilient you are and how real your friendships are. Your Friday nights and coffee dates with friends will now be over Zoom. But they will still happen. It’s reassuring that you can still stay connected to your friends from thousands of miles away. It will be a difficult adjustment, but you will get through it. And you’ll get to take classes over Zoom with your dogs.
The next four years will be amazing for you. Listen to yourself, you will find your voice and your strength. I hope you see your growth from this journey.
Love,
Bethany
Bethany is a Senior in CAS studying Hebrew and Judaic Studies
