The semester is nearly over and I still can’t believe I’m already finishing my freshman year of college. I’ve had a lot of highs as well as some lows these past nine months. Through each of these experiences, I’ve learned lessons about college and life that I’d like to reflect on.
- College will make you come out of your shell.
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In high school I considered myself to be more of a shy, introverted person. While I still value my alone time, college has made me much more comfortable around other people. Coming to college is deciding to live in a brand new place with thousands of people you don’t know, and you can’t always wait for them to approach you first. Roommates, clubs, and classes have all gotten me to be more social and aware of my relationships.
- Going random with roommates may work in your favor.
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Since Endicott doesn’t even have a roommate matching survey, I was especially nervous about living with people I’d never met. Luckily, neither of my roommates turned out to be gross or murderers. We all get along great and are actually staying together for housing next year. I know this doesn’t happen for everyone though; everyone I know who picked their roommates for this year are splitting up. Just because you’re friends at summer orientation doesn’t mean you’ll enjoy living together. All I’m saying is give the system a chance!
- You may not find your people right away.
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During orientation week you may feel like you only have a short amount of time to find friends for the next four years of your life. However, the people you start your college journey with aren’t necessarily the people you’ll end it with. I made a group of friends that grew close fast during the first semester. But, second semester definitely makes people more comfortable with their surroundings and allows them show their true colors, some of which are not pretty. I discovered that there was a lot of fake and negative behavior in some of the people I was around. Although this was a sad experience for me, it also showed me who I can trust and make genuine connections with.
- The saying about finding a relationship when you’re not looking for one is actually true.
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I had no goal of finding a relationship when I came into college. During high school I was a little boy crazy, but I realized that the idea of being part of a couple was more exciting than any of the boys I thought I liked. But just when I was finally content being single, I met my boyfriend. The circumstances of us meeting were kind of crazy, and how connected I feel to him is even crazier. We have so much in common and I can confidently say that I am with someone because of who they are. I waited to start our relationship a while after meeting him so I knew who he was as a person. Taking the time to get to know each other without any expectations made our relationship better and I have a fun, incredibly caring boyfriend because of it.
- Get involved, because the college experience is what you make it.
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The biggest regret I have for my freshman year of college is definitely not getting more involved in club activities. I was too focused on parties and naps during first semester, while I was too busy dealing with personal struggles second semester to feel motivated. The clubs on campus, including the Endicott Her Campus chapter, all have such friendly environments that I can’t help but feel like I missed out on with connections and experiences. Thankfully, I have three more years left of college and I am going to make much more of an effort my sophomore year to dedicate my focus on Her Campus and possibly even other clubs that interest me.