Don’t blink. That is the best line I have for you right now. Don’t blink, because time freaking flies! Take it from a senior: these past four years have felt like a roller coaster ride that was never going to end. Sadly, that isn’t the case. With only 55 days until graduation, I’m writing you this letter to tell you all of the things I wish someone would have told me when I was an underclassmen or even still in high school.
First, don’t take your friendships for granted. Even if these friendships break a part at some point in your college career, that friendship probably taught you something about yourself. College is such an easy way to meet new people, and if you’re lucky like me, some of these people stay with you all four years and you know they will be with you for the rest of your life! Deciding who your real friends are can be tricky and often times you won’t see it until something happens. That’s okay! Remember to surround yourself with people who lift you up and are in your corner for the good and the bad of your college career.
College will also test your mental stability. It is mentally draining, hard, repetitive, and challenging. Classes can be stressful, your workload can seem impossible, and often you are balancing that on top of extracurriculars, a job, and a social life. This can all lead to late nights, early mornings, or running on little to no sleep. In these times, it is super important to remember your limits, trust your gut, and prioritize your mental and physical health. Nobody can tell you how you are feeling, so when you need a break or time off, take it.
While staying focused and completing school work is crucial, it is also important to remember to have fun! This can look like a sport, hanging with friends, playing video games, going shopping or anything else that allows you to step away and be in the moment! If going out isn’t for you, stay in and hang out! However you spend your free time is completely your choice and only you should decide that.
Lastly, cherish every moment! While I personally don’t know that college was the BEST four years of my life, they were definitely the most challenging, rewarding, monumental, and memorable. I live by the motto “be here now” and I am so happy that I am leaving college knowing that I lived in every moment I was given. Take videos, take too many pictures, make the Instagram posts, because soon college will just be a memory and you’ll be thankful that you have these things to look back on. These moments fly by, so enjoy where you are, who you’re with, and be here now.
This letter could go on and on, but these are a few things that I wanted you to hear, because I wish I would’ve heard them myself. Enjoy every single good minute of college, and learn from all of the hard times. Find your people, follow your passions, and cherish the good times. I wish you the absolute best!
HCXO, Laura