Everyone knows that college is a time for learning. And if you’re anything like me, you heard a million times from adults who’d been through it that college is a time for learning more than just information in textbooks. Coming to DePauw, I was prepared to learn more about life, but I here are some things that I didn’t expect to learn.
- If you want something, go get it. You kind of get to make your own rules!
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One of the things I said I wanted to do in college was take a ceramics class. It was something I’d had a little experience with, and now I loved it! But a ceramics class simply didn’t fit into my schedule, and for some reason there wasn’t a ceramics club on campus. My solution? Start a ceramics club! It’s not exactly where I want it to be yet, but do I still get to go into the studio and make things? You bet. This kind of logic applies to all sorts of things. I’ve organized groups of friends to do things on weekends because I didn’t want to just sit around doing nothing. I’ve told my coach I no longer want to swim certain events at swim meets and she has listened to me. Moral of the story is that if you want something to change, usually you have the power to do that in one way or another.
- Its Okay to Say No
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It’s so easy to get over involved in college, simply because of the number of activities one can do on campus. When I came to college, I told myself I’d do as much as I could and try to fill every second with something so as not to waste my precious four years here. But having too much on your plate can make even the fun activities feel like chores. I haven’t perfected the balance of down time and extracurriculars yet, but I have learned that having a little bit of down time makes the activities I choose to devote my time to far more enjoyable. If that means saying no to some things that are less important to me, so be it.
- Your Concept of “Home” Will Change
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I went to high school in Houston, Texas, and when I came to college in central Indiana, I prided myself on my ability to adapt to life in a new place. I was so excited to go somewhere new and leave the past behind. I wanted college to be my new home. But everyone gets homesick, and that includes me! I began to feel as though college was home in a way, but Houston is still home too. What I came to realize is that home for me is no longer a place, it’s just wherever the people I love are.
- You Will Surprise Yourself
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The easiest example I can give for this one is that I came into DePauw as a kinesiology major, and by my second semester my freshman year, I’d declared a communication major. While I think I kind of knew in the back of my mind that I was going to change my major, I didn’t think I would ever choose something like communications. But it’s common to hear about people changing majors, so I’ll give a few more examples. I didn’t think I’d actually enjoy a public speaking class. I didn’t think I’d date someone from a different college. I didn’t think I would want to seek out alone time for myself almost daily. I didn’t think I would go to parties because I used to think dancing in public was scary, but now that’s the only reason I go to parties— I love to dance! I didn’t think I would ever be comfortable sharing more personal writing (such as this) so publicly, but here I am. The point is that you’ll learn things about yourself that will make you feel almost like you’re a different person, and that is totally okay.
- You Will Fail
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No, I’m not talking about failing exams here. I’m talking about losing a friend or not getting a leadership position you really wanted. Sometimes, you won’t be successful. People tell you college will be the best four years of your life, and when I came to DePauw, I equated that with success in all areas. But expecting success is simply unrealistic, no matter how much effort you put into things. If you’re like me, it’s difficult to accept that, but there are still ways you can control the situation. Either you keep trying, or you step back and you learn from the situation so that you can find ways to grow. Of course, don’t underestimate the healing power of time. Life will bring you into other situations where you will succeed, and it’s always helpful to keep this in mind.