Olivia Jordan

Learning to Listen to Myself

Freshman year hit me faster than I could keep up. Between classes, skating, orchestra rehearsals, sketches, and my part time job, it sometimes felt like I was moving through everything without really noticing. Amid all the busyness, I realized that one of the hardest and most important things I could do was to pause and listen to myself.

I have always loved music, art, and skating, but for a long time I rushed through them, trying to get things “right” or finish quickly. The first half of my freshman year was full of new experiences and challenges, and I often felt overwhelmed. Lately, I have started to slow down. When I play the violin, I focus on each note, each pause, and how it makes me feel. When I draw, I pay attention to the lines I choose and the shapes that emerge. When I skate, I notice how my body moves and how each motion feels.

Listening to myself is not always easy. Sometimes my mind wants to skip ahead or compare what I am doing to what others are doing. But when I pause and pay attention, I notice subtle things: the way a note resonates in my chest, the way a curve in my sketch feels satisfying, the way momentum carries me across the ice. These moments teach me more than rushing ever could.

I am learning that listening to myself also means trusting my instincts, allowing myself to make mistakes, and exploring without judgment. It means noticing when I am tired, when I am excited, or when something sparks curiosity. It is about paying attention not just to what I am doing, but to how I am experiencing it.

Small, quiet moments of attention are becoming the most meaningful part of learning. They are shaping how I approach music, art, skating, and even life. I do not always know where these discoveries will lead, but learning to listen to myself has taught me that growth begins with noticing what matters, what excites me, and what feels right. These early months of freshman year were difficult, but they have also marked the beginning of learning how to balance, reflect, and move forward in ways that feel authentic to me.