Over the past four years, Hampton University has taught me a lot about not only myself but also given me the knowledge and experience I desperately needed. These past four years haven’t been easy but they have definitely been worth it. Between trying new experiences, making new friends and navigating life as an adult, I have grown tremendously since I started at our Home by The Sea. Below are the four things I wish someone would have told me when I was a freshman.
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Don’t let your shyness or inexperience get in the way of applying for opportunities. I naturally have a shy or introverted personality so it took a couple of tries for me to break out of that. During my freshman year, I let too many amazing experiences go because I was scared or nervous to apply for them. The easiest way to break out of this for me was to practice what I wanted to say ahead of time. That way I wouldn’t be nervous or mess up what I wanted to say.
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Don’t attempt to save failed relationships. Not all friendships or relationships that you make in college are meant to last. You will spend way too much energy and time resurrecting a relationship when you could be spending your time on things that actually matter.
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Make connections. The connections you make in college can truly help you in every aspect of your life. Doesn’t matter if it’s getting their number or email, staying in contact is extremely important. Don’t only make connections with your classmates but with your professors as well. Some of the connections I made freshman year have helped me to get internships and I have even used some as references for jobs and graduate school.
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Lastly and most importantly, be you! It’s easy to get swept up in popular trends or wanting to dress like the popular people in your class. But I promise you, you won’t be truly happy and enjoy your college experience if you’re attempting to act like someone else. Embrace your personality and who you are instead of attempting to be a copy of someone else.
These four rules or guidelines are just some of the pieces of knowledge I’ve gained over these four years. Your college experience is yours and yours alone and although it might seem like a long time, it goes by incredibly fast. Enjoy it!