Dear Freshman Me,
First, I am proud of you — so proud.
You made it here because you worked hard and are surrounded by people that care about you; don’t forget either of those things during the next four years. I won’t spoil the surprise and tell you how fun, crazy, unpredictable, nerve-wracking, exhausting, hilarious, and fulfilling your time at “The Rut” will be — you’ll see for yourself in time — but instead I want to give you a few things to remember as you hop on this ride:
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Breathe. Everything will feel like the end of the world: You missed the F and were late for class. The girls you thought you were friends with went to grab food without you. You found a typo in that really important email to your professor. Everything will feel like the end of the world, but it is not. Some days, you will just need to stop, look at the bigger picture, and remember that tomorrow is a chance to be better.
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It’s okay to be alone. There is nothing wrong with choosing to be by yourself instead of with other people. Forget about the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). You are not missing out on anything — you are taking care of your mental health. And right alongside that…
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Enjoy being single. Don’t look for a boyfriend out of boredom or loneliness. Get comfortable with yourself and do those things you couldn’t do in a relationship: turn your phone off some days and ignore your texts, spend money on nights with friends, sleep sprawled out across that extra long twin.
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Everyone is going through something. Packed on the LX, circling Brower looking for an empty table, it will be so easy to get frustrated and forget that other people are facing their own struggles, cramming for their own exams. Empathy will not only save you from becoming bitter, it will help remind you that you are not alone in feeling overwhelmed.
And finally: people will tell you college is the greatest four years of your life. But sweet girl, that is just not true. They are indeed four amazing years — victories over finals, turning 21, dancing for 12 hours straight for a good cause, 2 AM gossip and takeout nights with your girls — but they are not the greatest. If you go into these next four years thinking that nothing will ever measure up once you’ve left the Banks of the Raritan, you will graduate feeling disappointed and empty. Instead, these four years are only the beginning of a life tumbling its way toward something even more beautiful than what you know and picture now. These four years are preparing you to lead an extraordinary life.
Have fun. Be safe. And please, please take your makeup off every night.
Stand tall,
Your Senior Self