It’s now the beginning of October and a cold front has swept through Tuscaloosa, marking the beginning of fall weather as well as the beginning of a new chapter for students across campus.
While seniors, like myself, begin job hunting, the freshmen are still learning to navigate a new campus. Although it can be an intimidating transition, moving to a new place that you will call home for the next four years, college marks the beginning of your independence and your individualism.
Regardless of your age, class level, or major, all of us college students are just trying to dig deep and find our inner selves. We all have the power to achieve greatness, but we first have to figure out who we really are – our strengths, weaknesses, interests, and what fuels our passions.
This is a time when, with just the right amount of ambition, dreams can become a reality. College is the steppingstone to your career and the first step to creating the life you want for yourself.
Like I’ve said before, college is the equivalent of adulting with a safety net; there is something comforting in the fact that we are in a place between childhood and adulthood. Even in the in-between, the pressure is still on to balance classes, work, and a social life, as well as other responsibilities. I can speak from personal experience that it is extremely easy to become overwhelmed by the highs and lows of college. Therefore, it is crucial to take accountability for the role you play in creating your own happiness and navigating your life.
It is easy to feel lost attending a large university like the University of Alabama, but there is a place for all of us, it is just up to you to find it. One of the many reasons young adults choose to attend college in the first place is because they believe it will aid them in piecing the puzzle of life together. This is not entirely false. College provides a plethora of opportunities, but it is on you to take advantage of them.
So, this is the time to take action! Join that club, sign-up for that class, or apply for your dream internship – the only person holding you back is yourself. Don’t stand in the way of your own potential, this is the period in your life to live and learn.