Walking into freshman year, I had no idea what to expect. I had no clue that a year away from home could teach me so much about myself, life and other people. Life has a strange way of working that’s for sure. Over the course of 9 months I have learned quite a lot of lessons, but out of all of those, 5 really stuck out.
#1. You will NEVER please everyone
You encounter a number of different types of people in college. You may not click with everyone, and you certainly will not be bffs with everyone you meet. But part of receiving an education and succeeding in life is working with people you may not like, which includes dealing with people who aren’t crazy about you. This is normal, not everyone will love you, that is okay.
#2. Sometimes you just can’t have a plan
Everyone thinks that it is necessary to know what you’re doing with your life when you come to school. That is completely incorrect. I have changed my future plans three different times already. Part of college is deciding what is best for you and your future, that’s a lot of decision-making in the grand scheme of things. But this doesn’t only apply to your major, things just don’t work out the way you plan sometimes. You may not end up with that boy or you might have a couple nights that get a little out of hand. It’s easier to not always have a plan.
#3. Always strive to be better than yesterday
Part of college is realizing that you are not always going to win, you will lose quite a lot actually, in different sections of life. You won’t always get an A, your laundry won’t always be clean, and sometimes you just need to eat a ton of fast food. It happens. But, you just have to keep trying and doing the best you can, at the end of the day that’s what matters (and keeping that scholarship).
#4. Friends are EVERYTHING
Being successful in school very much depends on who you surround yourself with. Not everyone you meet is going to change your life for the better, but there’s a very good chance you will find your life-long friends in those dorm rooms and lecture halls. Good friends make life so much better; and when life is good, you do well. But always remember it is okay to let go of those friends who are no longer making life good, it’s okay to think about yourself.
#5. Life goes on
This one is self-explanatory. Things will get tough and theres a good chance you’re going to encounter some situations that you are not quite prepared for. Life will get hard and it will push your limits, but don’t let it break you. No matter what happens, at the end of the day the world will still spin, the sun will set and life will go on.