College. What I had been looking forward to since the start of high school. The independence, the freedom, and the chance to start anew was definitely an exciting thought. I was nervous about making friends in college, and I was not expecting that I would make long-lasting friendships or connect with so many people so early on. A lot of people came and went in my freshman year, but there were also those who stayed a constant presence in my life. The friendships that have lasted through my freshman year, are some of the strongest friendships I have. I was scared, nervous, and unsure of myself, and I didn’t know how to be independent. But being able to work through those feelings and find my own friend group allowed me to achieve this independence and develop more confidence. Having people who were there experiencing these things with me, forged a powerful bond, and that helped me through the rest of the year.
finding my place
First semester of freshman year, I had tunnel vision. I only cared about doing well in my major and getting into medical school. But as I went along the semester, I realized that I needed to take time for myself and do things that were not just about after graduation or my major. I joined clubs I was interested in, and I started hanging out with my friends more often instead of devoting all of my time to studying in the library. Then I came to a realization, I had to step back and look at the big picture to determine how I wanted my college years to go, and what I wanted to get out of this experience. I was going to be here for the next three years, and I really wanted to find my place in it and eventually, I did. I started becoming more independent and doing the things that I wanted to do, not just the things that I was supposed to do. I had to adjust to the learning curve that comes with entering college and while it was not easy, I figured out to do well mentally and academically at school. I had to learn about how I am on my own, and how to use that to my advantage, and that was one of the most valuable experiences I had.
My freshman year set the tone for how I wanted college to go as I made strong friendships, and created memories that I would remember for years to come. I think about how the goals and routines I started last year, carried over to my sophomore year, allowing me to build off of them, and improve upon them. There are so many lessons that I learned in my first year that carried over and that have helped me later on. I feel like freshman year was a good stepping point, a way to test the water and understand how to navigate college.
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