I thought a lot about what I wanted my last Her Campus article to be about. It took me awhile to actually get around to writing it, and still, as I’m writing this, I’m not entirely sure where to even begin.
These past four years have been some of the worst and best years of my life. I suffered through sadness, failure, and heartbreak － but despite experiencing some of the worst emotional pain I’ve been through during my first year of college, I can confidently say I wouldn’t change a thing about my college experience. The darkest time of my life gave way to the happiest moments I’ve ever experienced － it tested my strength, courage, and patience, and the outcome was greater than anything I could’ve ever imagined. Not only did I become a stronger person, but my relationships with my friends also grew stronger since my friends were (and continue to be) my unwavering support system.
College has taught me many things. It taught me how to persevere through hardships, how to admit and learn from my mistakes, how to gracefully accept criticism, how to stand up for myself and my values, how to keep the good friends around me and how to keep the bad ones out. Above all, it taught me how to seize every opportunity and cherish each and every moment － good or bad. College goes by in a blink of an eye. Even my darkest moments that seemed to have lasted for an eternity seem so fleeting in retrospect. The happy and sad moments shaped me into the person I am today; I am grateful for all the curveballs and surprises college has thrown at me.
Although I was hesitant to love the cowtown people call Davis, I put in my best effort to keep an open mind as an incoming freshman. My first year at Davis was one of so much personal growth, and as the years went on, I continued to make an effort to try new things and meet new people. Because of my optimism and efforts to step out of my comfort zone, I made lifelong friendships and unforgettable memories with amazing people.
And so, my advice to any incoming collegiette is this: keep an open mind and an open heart. Any campus you step foot on can be your new home － your time in college is an adventure to be explored, conquered, and most importantly, enjoyed.
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