We’ve watched countless movies, read books and lived through the college experience of others via social media during a majority of our teenage years. When we finally attend college we have high expectations of what college life is supposed to be like. Many college-aged women feel let down or unsure about their choice of school after their first year because of this. But I’m here to tell you that it is OKAY to be apprehensive about returning to school after your first year.
There are many curve balls no one informed you about that can be thrown your way during your first year of college. Making new friends in an unfamiliar place, keeping up with classes and getting along with your roommates are just a few. No one knows what it is truly like to experience college life until they experience it first hand.
Comparing your college experience to your friends and living in the past can also be your biggest downfalls. You may have spent nights alone in your dorm wondering why your college experience isn’t as glamorous as all of the photos on Instagram make it out to be. That’s because your college experience is what you make of it. Everyone’s experience is unique and special in its own way. If you constantly compare your college experience to others you will never be happy where you are. You also can’t harp on the first year that didn’t pan out as smoothly as you wanted. The start of your second year of school is a fresh start waiting for you to make the most out of it.
There are numerous ways to make your second year at college and the years after that the best they can be. Getting involved in clubs, stepping out of your comfort zone and talking to new people, becoming a part of Greek life or even trying out for a sports team. A great college experience doesn’t simply fall into place for everyone, sometimes you have to knock on a bunch of doors until the right one opens up for you.
While it’s okay to be apprehensive about returning to school after you first year, it’s up to you to turn it around. Don’t let your first year determine the rest of your college years for you. Get out there and make your college experience something truly special!