Since August, time has completely flown by. My first year at Boston University is coming to a close, and it feels like another chapter of my life is ending, a particularly rich one. Entering college allows for a wealth of new experiences, as there is truly no way to escape venturing outside your comfort zone. These experiences have taught me invaluable lessons that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.
Not only am I grateful for the incredible friends I’ve made, organizations I’ve joined, and the opportunity to live in a major city, but I’m also grateful for what’s less visible: what I’ve learned about myself.
- Do It Scared
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College presents you with a myriad of opportunities — to make new friends, join clubs, become a leader on campus, try new experiences — but as much as we’d like to think we’d all jump right into all that the first week of freshman year, fear holds us back.
The fear of rejection and humiliation is a universal feeling, and sometimes I’ve thought to myself: Maybe I should just leave it alone and save myself the anxiety-inducing trouble. I’m too embarrassed to ask that group of students to eat lunch with them, I’m too nervous to join that intimidating club, and I’m not qualified to apply for that job.
I promise you that this voice in the back of your head does not control you and is only holding you back. In whatever you do, take a leap of faith, even if you’re scared. A huge lesson I’ve learned in my freshman year is that fear doesn’t necessarily go away. If I waited for it to fade, I’d lose my chance. I had to do it scared. Sure, I’ve embarrassed myself, but so has everyone around me. No one comes into college with it all figured out; you’re not alone.
- Stay True to Yourself
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As the famous Hamlet quote goes, “This above all: To thine own self be true.” Considering the context in which this is spoken in Shakespeare’s play, Polonius offers fairly good advice to his son, Laertes, as he leaves for France.
Frankly, college presents an individual with many tests of character. When surrounded by thousands of unfamiliar young adults and new experiences, it’s easy to grow so desperate for a community or to prove you belong that you turn away from your values. Turning yourself into someone you’re not just to fit in is never a good idea. If you stay true to yourself, you will naturally gravitate toward the right people and opportunities and weed out the wrong ones. I’ve felt insecure countless times during my freshman year, thinking there was something wrong with me.
What I’ve learned is that there is nothing wrong with me (sure, I’m not perfect), but I just don’t fit into the mold of someone I’m not. That’s ok! Additionally, making the right choice can feel practically impossible. My best piece of advice is to analyze your values and make decisions based on them. It also never hurts to ask advice from someone back home — someone who really knows you.
WIth all its trials and tribulations, I wouldn’t change my freshman year for the world!
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