For many of us, college is the first chance that we get to make decisions completely on our own. Unfortunately, stereotypes make it seem like all students do is laze around, periodically attend class and party while maintaining the absolute worst eating habits known to mankind. And I’m not here to say that is entirely untrue, but I would like to point out how these ideas relate to the significant step of gaining independence.
Taking steps on your own provides an amazing boost of confidence. Sure, I knew that I was capable of fully functioning by myself, but it definitely was amazing to experience that I would not drop dead the second I was self-reliant. And this growth in confidence has made me really comfortable doing things on my own. Flashback a few years, and I would not be caught eating in any public setting alone, but honestly, now it has become something I genuinely enjoy doing. Relying on myself has made me realize how much I like my own company.
The ability to take our own steps allows us to set ourselves on a path we’re happy with, one we might enjoy for the rest of our lives. With the constant presence of parents or other influences, it’s easy to get mixed up between what you actually want versus what others expect of you. For me, this may actually be the most important aspect of becoming independent. It’s our chance to grow into the person we want to be and discover what it is that will make us the happiest.
In college, we constantly have to make decisions, and a lot of our personalized decision-making goes overlooked. The emphasis is always placed on the not-so-responsible choices students might make without recognizing all of the other work being done in order to function independently. To look at it another way, I think everyone should make irresponsible decisions at least once in their life because, at the end of the day, they are memories made and lessons learned. So, as you navigate all of the crossroads that come with college-era independence, appreciate that now is your chance to finally discover yourself and come to realize how capable you really are.