It’s hard for me to believe that in just a few short months, my final year of college will be over. It feels like just yesterday I was moving into my freshman dorm and saying goodbye to my parents. Over the past three and a half years, I’ve experienced epic highs, dramatic lows, and everything in between. Now, with only a few months left before graduation, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on who I am now versus who I thought I would be at the end of college. I came into college nervous and naive. Looking back on who I was then, there is so much advice that I wish I was able to give. Here are my top four takways from my college career:
- It Won’t be Perfect
I came into college with so many different ideas of how I thought the “college experience” should be. My time in college was certainly different than how I imagined it would be. First of all, my freshman year started with a world-wide pandemic forcing me to spend a lot of time in quarantine and isolation. Later,, my world felt rocked when I found out about my father’s health problems. I also was shocked to discover that classes didn’t always come as naturally to me as they did in high school. My time in college was never predictable or perfect like I had always thought it would be. However, these imperfections pushed me to grow and adapt into the woman I am now. These experiences have pushed me to be resilient, flexible, and patient.
- Work Hard, Play Hard
One of the hardest parts of going to college is learning how to balance everything. I quickly learned that there is a delicate balance between school, work, social life, and extracurricular activities. Finding this balance takes time, however, all of these are crucial for your college experience. It’s important to study and do your best academically, but it’s also important to take care of yourself by spending time with friends and doing what you love. During college, I worked hard to perform well in my academics and classes. I spent hours studying, writing papers, and working on projects. All of this hard work certainly paid off as I look back over the years. Not only did I work hard in my academics, but I also have so many wonderful memories of the time I spent with my friends. You must work hard in college, but you also have to play hard to have the most memorable experience.
- Take the Chance
I’ve taken a lot of chances during college. Some of them have worked out better than others. However, as I reflect on my time over the past four years, the only ones that I really remember are the ones that turned out for the better. I took a chance when I decided to be freshman year roommates with a girl I met on Facebook, and now she has turned into my best friend. I took a chance when I changed my major, and now I’ve excelled academically and learned more than I ever thought I would. I took a chance when I applied to be Resident Assistant, and now it has become the most fruitful experience that I’ve had in college. I took a chance when I accepted an internship at a company I had never heard of before and didn’t feel qualified for, and now it turned into a full time job. Even though there will always be a chance that things won’t work out, you’ll never know if you don’t try. You won’t even remember the rejections or failed attempts someday, but you’ll always remember the chances that helped shape you into the person you are today.
- It’s Better than You Ever Expected
There were many ups and downs duing in the past few years, but despite the hardships and uncertainty, these years have been better than I ever thought they would be. I met the best and most loving friends. I experienced so many new and exciting things. I learned. I cried. I laughed. I could’ve never predicted all that happened during my time in college, but it has all worked out for the better. Going forward, I know that I will always look back at my college experience with fondness and love.