…buckle down for the ride of your life, cause’ no one said this lexicon was gonna be in alphabetical order, *evil cackling*

Welcome to the Unicoaster! It’s a ride 3 years long (or did you choose 4? 5??) that you could choose to get off…but courageously, you decide to sit tight. Salutes.

If it’s your turn, welcome abroad!

The first incline you’re gonna ascend?

• Exhilaration and Optimism.

You’ve made it into university! The final destination before work life where you’ll get to learn new things, experience more freedom and be able to do whatever you want… within reason. No more uniforms! No more tedious schedules! Hall life beckons! The future is so bright, it’s blinding. You’re also filled with tons of:

• Anticipation and Boldness

Everything is new and fresh and lovely! You’ve joined a CCA or two…

Moved into your hall/dorm…

Met a few cool folks in hall/classes/camps…

You’re all prepared for the academic year. The seniors might have mentioned some things (“you’ll come to school in slippers and shorts in no time”) but no, you’ll stay on point. You know it.

But like all rollercoasters, the unicoaster is heading towards a drop…

You hurtle towards:

• Confusion and loads of Frustration

A couple of weeks in, you’re no longer sure of reality anymore. Who am I? Where is this? What am I doing here??

Basically, you don’t understand half the module content. Or you thought you did … until the upcoming deadline laughed in your face. Friends around you joke about dropping out (wait, or were they serious?).

How did the weeks pass so quickly?

Also, what are all the dean’s lister students eating, and please could you have some, too?

• Self-doubt and some Intimidation

A lot of things aren’t going as well as you’d like. People confidently do their graded presentations while all you want to do is hide under a desk.

A fierce internal battle rages on

Or maybe you’ve put your whole heart in your assignments, but the results haven’t been reflecting it for the longest time. The negative thoughts creep in: am I falling off the unicoaster? The self-resentment swallows you and you feel a bit useless and very much overwhelmed.

Something sees a chance to sneak in and so it does.

• Loneliness

Sometimes it feels like everyone is coping well and it’s just, well, you… or it’s hard to find somebody who truly understands. Or your friends are busy with their commitments in hall/ccas/what else and you don’t want to trouble them, so you hide in your hall room eating dinner dabao-ed from the canteen.

Suddenly, the drop ends and you coast for a little while.

During the breather, you manage to take hold of…

• A double dose of Determination plus Motivation

You’ve made it so far, damnit. You survived A-levels/poly/interviews to get here, and you can do it now, too. What are exams, are they edible? What is difficulty? YOU CAN DO IT. Of course however, like true love, the course of uni never did run smooth, so you run into…

• Grogginess

Why do people put classes at the unholy hour of 8am?? You survive on 1000 cups of coffee as murky as your (perceived) immediate future. Nothing but mugging and chionging. Nothing.

• Hunger

Uni kids are forever hangry. The radars for free food and hall welfare packs are always activated and on the lookout. Please feed us, we’re poor and broke. *angst*

• Vexation and Panic

When you wake up on time, the bus doesn’t come on time. When you finish your essay with some time to spare, the printing station queues are long or someone’s printing a huge stack of notes.  ASDFGHJKL the universe must be out there laughing evilly somewhere.

But fret not, because after this turbulence, you dip into…

• Joy and Relief

Exams are out, hols are in! Freedom has descended. Enough sleep is no longer a myth. It’s time to partay.

Or initiate the cave life plan to catch up on sleep debt. Different strokes work for different folks.  It’s all fabulous… for as long as you try. Then, you receive unwanted visitors.

• Nervousness and Tension

The pair shows up as results release day nears. You know, the day when the system hangs/lags as many rush to check their GPA/CAP online? That day.

As the clock ticks, students across Singapore wait with bated breath. Did I maintain my 4.5?? Do I have to retake that mod? I don’t dare to look!

(If this is you right now, we wish you good luck!)

• You inch towards yearning

The hols are not ending and….where’s all the time gone? Where has all your youth gone? Please come back.  Unfortunately, you still have to return to school no matter how much you wonder and lament.

You’ll eventually end up doing multiple loops on the rollercoaster until…the last dip awaits.

When you’re on the last leg of the ride…

• Zeal and Keenness

You’re determined to enjoy the last ride of the unicoaster! Join all the hall activities! Participate in all the interesting things before the school privileges end! Yolo.

(Start on your FYP/theses with vigor, too!)

In between…

• Bouts of Unproductivity

Let’s face it, we’re only human. Sometimes…the inspiration really just isn’t there, you know? I know you do. Eventually, though, you hand your last deadline in through sheer willpower and magic.

When you’re stuck, you’re stuck

• Queasiness and worry

The unicoaster is stopping and you’ll have to get off soon…to adulthood and new rollercoasters. Where’d you go from here? Do you do a postgrad or work? Cushy salary or passion? It’s a whole new coaster and you’re filled with uncertainty …but a dash of hope. After all, you’ve made it through uni. You’ve made good friends…

… experienced amazing things, and grew exponentially. You’ll make it just fine. The future is yours for the taking!

For those still on the journey…buckle down, you have one heck of a ride to finish!

For those getting off the university rollercoaster and graduating soon (!), Digital Senior sincerely congratulates you and wishes you the best of luck!

 

 

*We left x out, but we bet you didn’t notice.