I definitely don’t have it all figured out or know what life holds after I graduate in December 2018, but here are a few tidbits I’ve learned after my years as a college kiddo…
Listen to your gut
After all, your gut is what made you choose this university over the others you applied to with equally amazing opportunities. And your gut is right when it is telling you not to hold onto negative friendships just so you have a friend group in college. This is the time when you learn how to truly be independent and it’s forming you into a stronger, more compassionate, and overall better person- so stop second guessing yourself and learn to let go of people. And just by the by, you now have some absolutely incredible people in your life.
Yep the ‘Freshman 15’ is Gonna Happen
In fact it’ll be more like the freshman 40 for you, and you know what, that’s okay. You studied abroad in France for a whole year and got the opportunity to eat hundreds of croissants. It rocked. Totally worth it. Also, you’re now learning how to prioritize health and fitness without it turning into your only priority (cause you’ve got big things on the horizon, baby girl). Lastly, despite being heavier than you have ever been, you’re more confident than you’ve ever been!
Girl you’re going to be a plus-size MODEL
You’re Not Straight
People say something about St. Edward’s that you laughed at during orientation buuuuut turned out to be 110% applicable- “closet on the hill”. Yep. You’re going to realize that keeping your settings on dating apps to show both boys and girls isn’t a fluke-y thing, you’re actually interested in dating both boys and girls. Here’s the thing, you live in Texas, it’s going to be rough to start coming out as bi, you will have people constantly telling you that you’re “just experimenting” (ran the experiment- results were conclusive.. bi), you’ll feel guilty for not telling your friends sooner even though this is something you took so so long to even admit to yourself and boys will text you daily asking about threesomes….
I’m not going to lie- it’s going to be annoying as hell, but you can now breathe easy knowing you can be your most authentic self and no longer have to push away these very real and valid feelings!
Transparency Will Be Your Superpower
Social media is undoubtedly a highlight reel, and there’s going to come a point where you’ll snap and start snapchatting well everything. Your snapchat stories will strike a chord in a surprising amount of people, videoing and publicly sharing raw/honest/vulnerable moments instead of just posting pics of nights out is crazy in this day & age, gosh kids these days… (damn I definitely sound like a 90-year-old man). Anyways, you’ll go on to create an Instagram account (@happyhealthyhans) to do the same thing. Your social media accounts will no longer be impressive and photoshopped, they’re going to be wildly honest, and kinda funny.
This will be so freaking freeing.
And as you begin being vulnerable online, this will have a domino effect into every other area of your life.
I’m currently on a 100 day social media hiatus, but I’d still say the shift in social media usage is BIG
Don’t Be Scared of Failing, Be Terrified of Not Trying
This is cliché advice, but still vital to know. You’re going to miss out on a lot of amazing opportunities because frankly you’re worried that you’re not good enough, so you’d rather save what’s left of your ego and not try, so you hypothetically can’t fail or potentially embarrass yourself instead of going out on a limb and taking risks.
You’re MORE than good enough, and it’s time to start failing! Ok that sounds bad, but what I MEAN is just because you don’t succeed the first time doesn’t say anything about your worth/capabilities/talent, but that it wasn’t a good fit *insert shrug emoticon*, and it just makes more time for you to pursue a new thing that spikes your interest.
The only surefire way to fail is to not try, this is a biggie, and it’s going to be an uphill battle to not let every little rejection make your life come to a grinding halt. However, you’ll learn, and in these coming years, you’ll be continually trying academically and worried you won’t be able to hack it. Spoiler alert: you will.
You’re graduating in December 2018!!!!!XOXO,
future you