As a freshman, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. There is so much on your mind; whether it is grades, being far away from home, roommate drama, or even just general life stresses, it always seems like there is something to worry about.
Personally, I don’t think that one of these should be romance. And yet there are many girls that rush into things that they are not ready for, hoping to find “the one” just like their parents did in college.
Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: I am definitely a romantic. I long for Mr. Right to come in and sweep me off my feet with kind words and dashing looks, just like a majority of girls out there.
However, I don’t think that going on a search for him during freshman year should be a number one priority. This is because freshman year is for many things other than romance, including:
Making new friends
In college, you are going to come across people from various backgrounds that are unlike yours. There are so many stories you have yet to hear, and if you spend all your time trying to hunt down Mr. Right, then you are going to miss out on meeting some wonderful people. Don’t get me wrong; you definitely run into some interesting people while on a manhunt. But, some of your best friends might pass you by if you keep your eyes set on “the one.”
Forming a home somewhere that is unfamiliar to you
For a majority of college students, living on campus is a drastic change from living at home. Now, your family is no longer with you, and you have to live with a roommate (or multiple roommates) whom you have never met before, and may not have anything in common with. Finding a way to make yourself comfortable on campus is so much more important than rushing into a relationship because you will be living in this place for at least four years, meanwhile you never know how long a relationship will last.
Adjusting to responsibilities that you have never had before
One of the biggest adjustments coming into freshman year of college is the enormous amount of responsibility you have for yourself. Now you are independent, and no longer have to follow your parent’s rules!
But along with that, you need to get yourself up every morning, and do your laundry, and make sure you eat your meals on time. Then there is schoolwork and club commitments, and events that you don’t want to miss. Why would you put any of this on hold just to chase after someone?
Trying new things that were unavailable to you back home
Stemming off of new responsibilities, now you have a plethora of opportunities available to you! You can go to see an art show or a sporting event that you never would have thought of going to before. There are vast amounts of clubs you can join, and volunteering events you can participate in.
Finding yourself
Ultimately, the most important thing about freshman year is that it is a journey of self-discovery. You need to focus on finding you, as opposed to finding that someone who you think will “complete” you.
The best way to do this is to try new things, expose yourself to new atmospheres, take risks, and enjoy life, because you only get one freshman year, you should make sure you do it with as many memories as possible.
If you do so happen to find someone who makes you happy during your freshman year of college, then congratulations! I wish you all the best.
However, I do think that it is important to realize that finding “the one” is not the most important thing to do in your freshman year; you have the rest of your life to do that. Make sure you make your freshman year as memorable as possible, and the rest will follow through in time.
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