The summer before starting my freshman year at Siena, my mind was focused on a lot of different things. Besides the regular anxieties of how to make friends, manage my time, and adjust to dorm life; I was also stressed about becoming someone different than when I was in high school. I wanted to change my style, confidence level, and the type of people I hung out with. Reinvention is something many people entering college for the first time grapple with, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Here are my tips for successfully reinventing yourself without losing who you are.
- Do Your Research
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Now this is the fun part, watch all of the college YouTube videos you can! Personally, this gave an insight into cute (yet practical) outfits to bring to school. Make sure to watch content creators whose style resembles what you want to embody in college, after all, you are intending to alter your regular style! Have fun and play around with different aesthetics before you settle on what you truly want.
- Read Self-Help Books!
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Reinvention isn’t just your physical appearance, it’s your mindset! Reading self-help books may sound cheesy, but trust me, they can make such a big difference. Going into a new chapter of your life with confidence is vital, and many of these books can help you figure out how to do that. I recommend Mindset Makeover: Tame Your Fears, Change Your Self-Sabotaging Thoughts, And Learn From Your Mistakes by Steven Schuster and Heartbreak, Healing, and Becoming Whole by Mandy Hale.
- Remember Your Core Values
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Although reinvention isn’t a bad thing. It’s important to make sure you aren’t losing who you are at your core. Never change your morals and closely held beliefs to fit in with a group, trust me, it’s not worth it. No matter how badly you want to make friends, if they’re so different from you that you can’t fully relate, what’s the point?
- Save Money
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If you’re planning on changing your style, it can get a bit expensive. Don’t spend yourself silly, but it could be helpful to get a summer job to help with purchasing new pieces for your wardrobe. A job that includes tips are very helpful for this sort of thing, because you can put paychecks in the bank and save up your tips for your cute new clothes and accessories!
- Test Out Your New Look Over the Summer
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You’re going to want to be comfortable in this new era of your life, so try to implement these changes over the summer. This will allow you to get feedback from friends, decide how it makes you feel, and start the process to adjust your self confidence.
- Establish a Routine
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This will help break old habits and prepare you to fully embody this new version of yourself that you’re becoming. If you aren’t actively working to keep up with your changes, it’ll be harder to fully commit to your reinvention. Again, working on this routine over the summer will help a lot.
- Try to Be More Outgoing
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Regardless of what you’re trying to become, it’s always easier to make friends when you’re outgoing. Try talking to new people, spark up conversations with strangers in line at Starbucks, and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Trust me, this will be your most useful skill when trying to make the type of friends that you want. If you see someone who fits your vibe, try talking to them! It’s the only way.
- Don’t Be Disappointed
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Reinventing yourself over the course of one summer can be tricky and full of trial and error, so don’t beat yourself up over it! It’s going to take time and effort to achieve your end goal, and things won’t always be easy. Just try and remember that at the end of the day, you’re a wonderful person who’s full of amazing qualities, even if they aren’t your desired aesthetic.
- Everyone is in the Same Boat
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Trying to fine tune yourself in college isn’t a unique idea. Almost everyone is going through some sort of reinvention of their own, so don’t feel alone in that! Whether it’s more dramatic or subtle changes, everyone is dealing with their own stress and self-doubt. Don’t feel alone! There are so many people who can relate to you and your struggles, so talk to them!
- At the End of the Day, it’s Your Opinion that Matters Most!
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Although it’s good to get input from friends and family, remember that your opinion is the most important opinion. If these changes are making you feel confident and still allowing you to live a happy, healthy life, who cares?! Reinvention is not at all about how other people see you, but how you see yourself.
I hope these tips help you to easily transition into this new era of life!