I haven’t been in college that long, but I have experienced quite a bit in my semester and a half so far. The biggest difficulty I think students, especially girls, face is remaining true to themselves. Freshmen are entering into this new phase in their lives where opportunities are immediately thrown in their direction and sometimes these things will blind them from remaining true to themselves. College is the time to discover new passions you may have, and it’s the time to try new things, but never jeopardize your true self just to “fit in.” There are so many different groups on campus that the idea of not fitting in shouldn’t even cross your mind.
When it comes to meeting people right off the bat, you want to make a great first impression so sometimes you may feel the tendency to fabricate parts of your life. But, here are some tips to remain confident in who you are while in college.
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Find a club or group on campus with people who share the same interests as you. – Finding a group of people who are similar to you may seem difficult at first, but it is worth trying. This would be extremely beneficial to you because it wouldn’t cause you to act differently. If you find the group that shares your same interests, like art for example, then it is so much easier to create lasting friendships rather than surface level ones. I recommend going to the activities fair at the beginning of each semester. That’s when all the clubs on campus try and get you to join, so it’s a great opportunity to find your niche or if you are interested in joining a club sport. Also, if you go to a school with greek life, that could be a great way to meet more people in a smaller setting.
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Don’t compare yourself to others – This sounds so cliché and, well, it is. Comparing yourself to others is a struggle I think the majority of us face. Whether someone has the handbag you want or a better grade in class, we are constantly doing it. However, if we spent more time making ourselves better and less time comparing our success to others we would feel much more satisfied with ourselves. In order not to compare yourself to your peers, think about everything you do have and are grateful for.
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Take something you’re good at – College is about trying new things, but sometimes you need to take a class that you know you are good at and will enjoy. Challenging yourself is always good, but it’s okay to take a history class that you know you will do well in because you genuinely like the material. This will lift your confidence because getting good grades in college can be tough, but if you have one class that will boost your GPA then it will surely increase your self-esteem.
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Surround yourself with positive people – You constantly want to be surrounded with friends and family who build you up not tear you down. Being around people who make you want to work hard and succeed is important, but so are people who will be there for you if you want to talk about issues or problems. The worst friend to have is someone who belittles your success because they are jealous. There are competitive people in college who will try to one up everything you do, so if you have any friends like that, get rid of them because they aren’t doing anything for you! Find the people who genuinely care about your well-being and who take the time to ask how you are.
5. Take time for yourself – Taking time for yourself is important because you need to self-reflect and figure out what’s working in your life, but also what might not be. Take at least ten minutes each day where you just breathe and do something for yourself. Whether it’s listening to your favorite song or reading your favorite book, do something that will make you happy. If you have trouble reminding yourself to do this, set a reminder for yourself. I have an apple watch and it reminds me to take a minute to just breathe each day.
I hope these tips help you stay confident in college because I know it’s tough. These tips help me, and I hope they help you conquer the world!