I never really realized how much I had changed in college until my friends back home started hinting at it, then outright told me. Initially, I got really upset over it. I didn’t think I’d changed at all. I kept thinking that they weren’t going to be friends with me if I’d changed and that if I had changed, I needed to change back. But finally, I recognized that maybe I did change, and that wasn’t a bad thing.
College is a completely different environment than high school. College gives you room to grow and figure out yourself. Most high school students don’t really know who they are or what they want to be. They don’t realize that there is a whole world out there they don’t even know about yet. I was mostly the same person throughout all 13 years in public school. I had the same friends, lived in the same town, and hung out at all the same places. I never truly knew who I was. College finally gave me the opportunity to grow and mature and meet some amazing new people.
Don’t let anyone tell you that the way you’ve changed is bad. You don’t need those kind of people in your life.
Distancing yourself from people because you’ve changed is okay! Never feel ashamed of change. It’s okay to change, actually it’s good to change. If you’re not changing, you’re not growing. Don’t be set on the expectations of others. Do what you want, because in the end you will be following your dreams.
My friends at Oswego played a big part in my change in college. They really helped me out of my shell and learn that it’s okay to grow. Your friends in college will probably become some of the best friends you’ll ever have. For me, they’re completely different than my friends at home, and I think that also played a part in my own change. Don’t be afraid to meet all types of different people because you never know what you can learn from them. I learned so much about myself from my friends at college. I still cherish the friendships I have from back home, but it’s hard for them to accept that things are different now. Your friends from high school may not accept who you are now, but maybe that’s a sign to let them go. If they can’t accept you now, then they certainly won’t accept you in the future when you grow and change even more post college. Don’t forget to give yourself room to grow, step out of your comfort zone, and try new things. You may never know what you might like. College is one of the best places for change because there is so much opportunity for it! Don’t hold yourself back from that growth. Put yourself out there! You’ll thank yourself in the future.