Something I never expected myself to admit is the fact that college has taught me more about life’s many twists and turns and curves and bends than anything I’ve learned in a class. It is my third and final year of college and I am in awe of the life-changing lessons and experiences I’ve gained in my time at St. Bonaventure.
As I sit back and think about how drastically different each year of college has been, I still can’t believe how I have changed so much in the process. However, through these years I have learned that the most valuable lessons come with some very tough emotions. So, let me tell you about a few realizations and lessons that college life has gifted me with:
- Putting yourself out there will never be a bad thing.
- Don’t ever let fear or anxiety hold you back.
- Take the time during your freshman year to learn about as many clubs and other extracurriculars as you can- so you don’t look back as a senior feeling like you missed out on so much!
- Don’t waste your time trying to impress people who don’t respect and value you! Remember that you matter!
- It’s okay to cry over someone you care about.
- We all make mistakes, and all we can do is learn from them!
- Situationships suck!
While I could go on and on about more things I have learned over the years, I think these are some of the most important lessons I’ve learned while in college. As someone who has always been shy and introverted, I never expected myself to experience anything close to situationships, crying over people I love and realizing that sometimes you value a friendship more than the other person does.
However, while I somehow managed to experience great friendships, love, situationships and more in college, I let my fear of going outside of my comfort zone and experiencing new things hold me back. Even though I have a bunch of memories that will last a lifetime, I can’t help but feel like I only have a fraction of the memories and experiences I could’ve gained had I made different choices. Now I am not saying that someone needs to experience something that is so emotionally draining or taxing in college to grow as a person. But if you are someone about to start college soon or are a freshman, please take my advice and experience as much as you can. At the end of the day, you won’t learn from experiences if you don’t have any during your time in college.