Everybody can have their own interpretation and definition of the word “displacement”. Displacement can have an array of meanings depending on who is speaking on the subject. For me, displacement means a sense of not belonging or fitting in. It’s to not be comfortable with being uncomfortable. However, displacement is an opportunity to learn about yourself, and your peers. I experienced displacement in the beginning of my college career. High school was a breeze for me, I always gave half my effort and always managed to get by. I always waited until the last minute to do an assignment, and everything was all fun and games to me. Ultimately, I wasn’t wholeheartedly committed to learning and growing as a person.
I had very little time to transition from high school to college because I took summer courses. In the end of June, when I graduated from high school, I had just 3 weeks to shift my mentality and work ethic. However, I wasn’t aware that college was nothing like high school. I soon began to realize how committed every college student was to his/her classes. I knew in college giving half an effort would not get me through like it did in high school. More importantly, I learned that college isn’t about “getting through”. College is about investing in yourself, and learning about yourself as you learn about the world around you. I want the most I can get out of college.
The first month of college was hard on me. I was not used to being so independent, and college helped me realize how dependent I actually was. My biggest issue was planning and time management. I always forgot about assignments that were due because of poor planning. I tried cramming through work because I was running out of time but that wasn’t helping much. I learned I needed to look out for myself, and that the first major learning experience at college is to be independent and organized. I invested in a daily planner, I started setting alarms for everything and started working on assignment long before the deadline. It took me a while but I learned that college is the best facilitator for personal growth and I dedicated myself to getting the most out of college.
Stripping “displacement” of its negative connotation can make a world of a difference. Displacement doesn’t have to be unfortunate, it is stressful and exasperating, however it’s a process. The same way college is a process. I say let’s trust the process and learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, so displacement can shape us into the successful people we all want to be.
First and foremost, I just want to thank you for sharing your experience with us. I think your journey is a very honest one and one we can all relate to one way or another. Furthermore, your story emphasized the fact that “displacement” does not necessarily have to be literal, but is just as valid if it’s being used in a figurative way. I strongly believe that sometimes feeling out of place in contrast to actually being dislocated can feel worse at times. Personally, I can relate to this feeling of being “displaced” entering college… A lot of the times I felt like I didn’t pick the right school and that Baruch just wasn’t the place for me, despite meeting awesome people. As time progressed, I felt more at home and build on the relationships I made. Despite this, I still feel a little wrong about being at Baruch, but nevertheless, am so grateful for the opportunity for higher education and feel very blessed for the opportunities not only the school has given me, but people I’ve grown to love. This is why I’d like to thank you for sharing your story, as it has a lot of validity to it and can help others realize they aren’t alone in the way they feel.
I really liked that you had optimism throughout this post. The last paragraph were you speak about “stripping” negativity from the word displacement changed my understanding of this whole blog post because it changed my own perspective of the word displacement. It does not have to be a bad thing, it can be a chance to learn and improve. The feeling of displacement can help someone develop and understand what kind of person they are. Recognizing displacement may even help you find a place of belonging.