I started my first year of college as any other freshman would: extremely excited, but equally scared and nervous. I wasn’t sure how well I’d adjust with being so far from home, I wasn’t sure what I’d be majoring in, and I wasn’t sure what the future had in store for me. But despite my doubts and uncertainties, I found eagerness in welcoming personal growth and change as I started this new chapter of my life.
Just like any other freshman out there, I was excited to gain this newfound freedom of doing whatever you want, whenever you want. You start to notice that your expectations of what you wanted out of college becomes a reality. You see it everywhere: Snapchat stories with seconds full of fun and adventure, Instagram posts of the new, amazing people everyone comes to meet, and Facebook feed flooded with unforgettable college moments. You hear it everywhere: college is supposed to be the best four years of your life.
But what they don’t tell you about these four years is that despite it being a time when you’ll undoubtedly experience your highest highs, you’ll inevitably experience your lowest lows.
They don’t tell you about the sleepless nights where you’ll lie awake feeling lost as ever with what you want to do with your life. They don’t tell you about having to endure the neverending battle of chasing your dreams or being realistic when it comes to declaring your major. They don’t tell you how difficult and stressful it really is to be balancing a job, an internship, classes, a social life, and extracurricular activities. They don’t tell you that there isn’t always an immediate feeling of absolute fun and belonging in this new place you’re supposed to call home. They don’t tell you how much it really hurts to be away from your family and your best friends and how difficult it is to make new and meaningful friendships. They don’t tell you that despite going to such a large school, there will be times when you will feel incredibly alone.
But the truth is, you’re not alone. You’ll meet all types of people in college: people who thrive on a busy schedule, people who party every weekend, and people who devote their life to their studies. It’s easy to compare your experience as a college student with everyone else around you, but there’s so much more to everyone than meets the eye. Despite what you think and see, no one actually has every aspect of their life together in college, and no one is actually having the time of their lives 24/7.
I’m not saying that you won’t have an amazing time in college, because after all, the experience will always be what you make out of it. All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t feel the pressure or need to be at an ultimate high all the time just because you’re told that college is supposed to be the best four year of your life. You’ll have your bad days, you’ll feel lost, you’ll struggle, and it’ll be okay when you do because everyone does. Keep an open mind and heart for what’s to come and recognize the importance of moving at your own pace. Always remember that with struggle comes growth, and that’s really what college is all about.