Has anyone ever seen the meme of the dog sitting in fire drinking from his cup? Everything is on fire and he’s melting but continuously says “I’m fine”. This meme is what my first year of college felt like. You are thrown into a bottomless pit of homework and tasks to accomplish. On top of school work, you must balance your own personal situations. School at times felt like a fiery pit that you either adjusted and kept moving or accepted defeat and dropped out. But no one wants to do that. So, you keep moving forward. So, I kept moving forward, growing and having a few meltdowns along the way.
One fact I discovered quickly was that I had endless possibilities. This was liberating and equally terrifying at the same time. I was only a freshman and yet I was supposed to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. But through the uncertainty, I found the determination to find the correct path. I have discovered that motivation is a key factor in figuring anything out in college. Resources are bountiful on campuses and you must be willing to seek them out. Everyone is lost in a sense and the only way out is persistence and acceptance that it’s going to be okay.
Secondly, I realized that making friends was far more difficult than I expected. I came to my campus knowing only my roommate. I was from out of state so I didn’t even know people. There were just strangers surrounding me. It wasn’t hard to find people to speak to considering I was surrounded by them. However, crossing the threshold of friendship was persistently difficult for me. I found that it all came down to what one is comfortable with. I wasn’t comfortable with plopping down at a table with strangers like they suggested at orientation. At the same time, I was content with speaking to people from my classes or adding anyone and everyone on Snapchat when I was out. Only to end up speaking to people off random stories and eventually meeting up.
College also came with the struggle of handling homework for subjects I couldn’t care less about and had zero skills in. College algebra comes to mind and the only lesson I took away from this was that asking for help is crucial and to sincerely not worry about if you look “stupid” when asking for it.
Finally, I noticed myself thinking and behaving in ways I wasn’t acquainted with. I grew up in a small town where I was content and familiar with the way I handled and carried myself. Upon entering college, I met people from countless diverse backgrounds and individuals who carried themselves in an unrecognized manner. I learned that it is okay to grow with your settings, it doesn’t mean you are changing who you are, you are simply improving and adapting. College is a new life with it can come new perspectives and actions.
College is said to be the best years of your life and that may be true, you get your first taste of freedom. However, you also have immense responsibility for your life, and while it may feel like chaos all around you at times, just remember that you can experience peace and clarity in the eye of the storm. Storms pass and fires subdue. Everything is fine and if it’s not, it will be.