Mel Matzker

Over the course of my last four years here at Miami, I've learned more than I ever dreamed I could. But the thing is, as corny as it may sound, I've come to the realization that the amount of knowledge I gained about myself and the world in general is so much greater than any professor or textbook could've ever taught me. And that's what really makes college so special. Somehow, what goes on outside of the classroom turns out to be more invaluable of an experience than what goes on within confined spaces. So here they are, some of the biggest lessons I've learned during my glory years here at Miami:
 

1.     Sometimes you just have to learn to let people go. Friends may join sororities and start only associating with their sisters, your closest girlfriend may meet a guy she simply can't spenda second without, the friends you knew in high school may start becoming people you can no longer respect, and the guy you thought you were madly in love with may have turned out to be just another jerk. But the thing is—people change; YOU change. Throughout college, your relationships can't and won't stay the same forever and that's okay.

2.     You have to let go of who you think you are. So many of us come into college and confine ourselves to these small boxes or groups we think we belong in are supposed to be in. We create false identities and carry around perceptions of ourselves that simply just aren't true. Your friends, and perhaps professors, are the mirrors who teach you who you really are and, hopefully, make you realize all that you can be.