To my freshman year,
As freshman year comes to a close I can’t help but reflect back on the year. When I moved into my dorm in August I didn’t know what to expect. As a recent graduate, I didn’t know where this next chapter was gonna take me. Now I can say that I grew a little as a person. It was full of up and downs that made me see the world a little different. I can definitely say I’ve changed for the better. It took me out of the small town bubble to explore what life was like on my own. What I found was a new me that I am proud of.
You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. I now know what true friendship is. It’s the people you don’t need to know your whole life to call them your best friends. It’s the people that will let you print an 8-page research paper when your printer runs out of ink in the middle of your mental breakdown. It’s the people that know you better than you know yourself. I grew up in a town where I’ve been best friends with the same people since I was in the third grade. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to make friends with people who didn’t know me growing up. But I became friends with people that were so hard to leave at the end of the semester. I already miss them! What am I going to do for 4 months without them?!
You made me learn how to overcome hardships in life. Bumps in the road are a part of life. They are meant to make us stronger and wiser. We can’t go through life thinking that something will make or break us. Everything in life happens for a reason and what we take away from it is what defines us. I know that I didn’t have an easy year. I switched roommates, I had falling outs with people, I didn’t ace every exam or quiz, and I know I could’ve handled some situations differently. So I’m not perfect, but however, I am accepting, and I think learning from experience is better than never experiencing it at all. I grew a lot as a person because of you.
You taught me time management is key. I can’t hang out in my friend’s rooms watching movies all night because I have an 8 am the next day. I will not be able to watch the Patriot game and do chemistry at the same time. I always ended up just watching the Patriot game (this is the number one priority on a Sunday) so I had to plan my work ahead of time. I got in the habit of writing everything down in a planner, paper, sticky notes, so I remembered every assignment and exam I had that week. I had an overwhelming amount of work that I couldn’t wait until the day before to do it so planning my week really helped me. I also made sure I planned around club meetings, laundry, and even breaks so I wouldn’t stress myself out. I am so happy that you taught me how to be organized and showed me what it’s like to have real responsibilities.
And lastly, to my freshman, thank you for joining Her Campus. You gave me a club that makes me feel like I belong. You gave me a voice. You showed me that people are interested in what I write about. You gave me a group of girls that made me feel at home and for that I thank you.
Thank you for showing me that I have passion and talent. Without Her Campus, I would not have the confidence that I do today.
To my freshman year, you treated me well, but now I’m ready for next semester.
Sincerely,
Lauren UNH ‘22