After being in college for a little over two years, I have a pretty general idea of what to expect. It can be chaotic just as much as it can be laid back. I’m usually on top of things, but there are definitely times when I fall a bit behind. Also, I get sick easily when I’m at school. All of these small things have been discovered over some of the best (and worst) parts of my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
College has been a huge learning experience. I’ve figured out what I need for me to be as happy as possible, and part of that is social interaction. Finding the balance between being social, doing my schoolwork, and having enough sleep at night was really difficult for me during my freshman year. Although I was getting all of my homework done, I was really tired because I would stay up late to hang out with friends. Although I don’t necessarily regret doing this, it did make it hard to stay focused in classes. I was bad at scheduling and managing my alone time, so being able to develop that over the last two years has been really nice.
I’ve also found that I’m more firm in the boundaries I’ve set for myself after certain experiences at school. I’m a very independent person, even if I do enjoy spending a lot of time with my friends. That being said, when I set a boundary, I don’t let anyone break it. Setting boundaries has become so important as I get into adulthood and begin forming more meaningful relationships. Whether boundaries are set with family, friends, or partners, it’s super important to stick to them and not let anyone get under your skin for standing up for yourself.
At the end of the day, college has been full of learning experiences. Whether they were positive or negative, they really formed who I am today, and I’m super grateful for that.