Before going going off to college I had no idea what to expect. I was scared, nervous and excited all at the same time. I always heard from people that I would learn more about myself in college, but I didn’t realize until recently how right they were. This whole year has come with so many challenges and tears along with laughter and great memories and through it all I have learned so much. Not all of it is good, but it has definitely made me better in one way or another.
1. Plans change, and that is okay
All througout high school I was the person who seemed to have everything together. I always had a plan for my future, and I never listened to people when they told me that sometimes your plans will change. I had always had my heart set on following in my dad’s footsteps and joining the military, but halfway through this year I found out that I wasn’t medically eligible. I felt like everything I had dreamed and worked for was for nothing. This completely threw me off and sent me in a downward spiral for a while, but I realized that some things just don’t work out and that’s okay. Life is unfair, but I learned that I had to pick myself up and kept going. There are so many options out there, and I don’t have to have the next fifty years of my life planned out. College is about discovering new things and making mistakes and changing your plans. It is still hard but It has made me so much stronger, and I am still excited for my future… whatever it may hold.
2. Not having a 4.0 dosen’t make me a failure
I never thought that I was the smartest student in high school, but I always felt so pressured to do well and be in all honors and AP classes. I graduated high school with a 4.0, which is great, but once I got to college I started to feel like a failure because it was hard for me to get a B, let alone an A. My GPA in college is definitely not where I want it to be, but I also know that it’s okay to not have a 4.0 as long as I am doing my best.
3. When it comes to friends, quality matters more than quantity
While a lot of people that I know have a ton of friends here at college, I always felt weird because I only have a few people that I really talk to and want to spend time with. During first semester this was actually something that had me consider transferring back to a school in Virginia where my best friends from home went. I honestly don’t know when my mindset changed about this, but all I know is that one day I realized that the couple people that I do spend time with are people who will undoubtedly be my friends for life. I would much rather have these few amazing relationships compared to having a ton of friends who don’t really know the real me.
4. “College is literally programmed to make you feel like a mess”
This is actually a quote from one of my best friends after I told her that I am a mess and can’t handle everything that is going on. I love it because it is so incredibly accurate. Everyone goes through hard times, ESPECIALLY college students. It is the challenges that make you better. I might have slept through my 9 a.m. class a few too many times, had four mental breakdowns this week and might still need to start studying for finals, but it’s okay because I am human, and I believe that everything will be okay in the end.
5. I am capable of doing things on my own
Before this year I always had to do everything with someone else. Whether it was going shopping, driving or just eating lunch, I always needed to have someone there with me for fear of being alone. This was one thing abut going to college that freaked me out because I was terrified of entering a world where I knew no one. Last year I would have sworn up and down that I would never eat alone in the dining hall, but sure enough, I do it all the time. I’m not afraid of doing things alone now, and it is so freeing. This might seem like a simple lesson, but to me it is a big deal. I don’t need to hide behind other people because I am capable off being independent and showing the world who I am.
Overall, this has been the most challenging year of my life, and I am sure that I’m not alone. Although it has been hard, I am coming out of it stronger and changed for the better. I am grateful for the experiences, and I don’t regret anything.