- It’s okay to do things by yourself
I wholeheartedly underestimated the amount of independence that comes with college. I knew I’d have to balance my academic schedule and do my own laundry, but no one warned me of just how much free time I would have by myself too. Loyola is a small school with about 4000 undergraduates, yet most of the time class and extra-curriculars will coincide with your friends’. Freshman year I spent probably 95% of this free by myself in my dorm room for fear that people would look at me strangely if I was out and about by myself. I would only eat in the dining hall with others, study with others, and only felt truly comfortable walking around or hanging out with a group.
That mindset was flipped on its head when 2020 came around. If the pandemic did anything for me, it was teach me how to be alone. All of sophomore year and part of junior year, we had heavy restrictions and social distancing in place. Suddenly I went from doing everything with others to everything alone. I learned that being with yourself can be productive, even energizing. And chances are that if you look around you’ll see a good chunk of people by themselves, too. It allowed me to explore a lot more of my campus, get work done, and get comfortable hanging out with me.
2. Your friend group is going to grow, shrink and change with time
Ever heard someone talk about a “class friend” vs. a true friend in college? The illustrious concept of the class friend is 100% accurate. Freshman year, everyone is trying to meet as many people as possible and figure out where they fit in. People in similar classes with hang out for a semester, then never speak again. It’s just how it works. You’ll find the people that are meant to stay, and the ones that are only meant to be chapters or even quick blurbs. People will transfer, plans will change, and soon enough the group of 50 people you met that first September has shrunk down to five. It might feel like you don’t fit in, or you have no friends for, but then junior or senior year will come around and you’ll meet 10 more people who will shake your world for the better and stick by you. College is like any other phase of life when it comes to friendships, however it’s sped up a bit since the years are sliced in half. No matter what though, you will find the people you’re meant to have in your life.
3. Stay up all night. The memories are worth it.
You’ll probably be broke in college at one point or another. You’ll definitely be sleep deprived more often than not. You might fall behind on some work during midterms season. I’ve learned that all of these things in moderation are okay. Stay in your best friend’s apartment watching Harry Potter until the sun comes up. Buy the concert tickets for the artist who’s finally coming to the nearby arena. Go to that extra-curricular event on Sunday instead of doing your homework. College is made up of memory making, I wish I could tell my freshman year self that one day that’s all she’ll have left.
4. Your major / career path is probably going to change. Multiple times!
I sit here as a Communications major double specializing in Journalism and Digital Media and laugh at the girl who wanted to be a red-carpet interviewer and have a minor in music. Most people truly don’t know what they want to do until they get to college and start taking classes and getting work experience. My personal path has been a pretty straight one, but I know it took others on a rollercoaster ride to get to where they are. It’s also okay to be a senior 32 days away from graduation who still doesn’t have a concrete post-grad plan. Your career path and goals are going to change with you, and with time.
5. Squeeze the sponge.
In the wise words of Father Brian Linnane, the 15th President of Loyola, “squeeze the sponge.” This was a phrase I heard constantly during his tenure as president. He said to drill into our heads to get everything we possibly can out of Loyola, and college in general. Try things that are out of our comfort zone, take the random elective that sounds interesting to you and no one else, talk to professors and peers and get your networking hours in. Whatever it may be, do it. There truly are no other years of life like college. When else are you going to get to live walking distance from all your best friends? Have easy access to food, shopping, sports, events, the scenery of campus life? Probably never. Take it all in, because it’s going to fly by like you never imagined.