As my time in college comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the last three years of my life. Coming into college, I had a very different idea of what it would look like for me. Thankfully, I’m leaving college a different person, but in all the best ways. Here are some lessons that college taught me outside of the classroom.
1. Your mental health has to come first.
In high school, we have to go to class. In college, we have the choice. While you should go to class, it is important to know when you need a day off. You can’t give 100% if you don’t feel 100%.
2. You never know what someone is going through.
College really showed me how easy it is to judge someone without knowing the full story, and how it is important to actually get to know someone. You might think you are “blunt” or “have no filter,” but really, you are just rude. Kindness is easier.
3. Don’t compare your success to others.
During orientation, other journalism majors were telling me about all the experience they already had, and it really discouraged me. Recently, I’ve had people tell me how impressed they are with me, when I’ve been admiring their work, too. Everyone is successful in their own ways.
4. With that being said, success is really a series of small wins.
After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day. I’m proud of where I am now, and it’s because of a bunch of different opportunites that have gotten me here.
5. It’s okay to change your mind.
I’m not the same person I was three years ago when I got to Denton, and that’s okay. Some of my ideals have shifted, but that just means I’m growing into the person I was always meant to be.
6. Giving your all doesn’t mean you have to do it all.
This was a hard lesson for me. For a long time, I thought I had to do EVERYTHING in order to be successful. I was stretching mysef way to thin, and it was showing in my work. Now I know how to balance, and when to ask for help.
7. You didn’t go through it all for nothing.
Sometimes when things get rough, it feels like you are drowning and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Things will get better, and you’ll be stronger at the end of it.
8. You can miss something without wanting it back.
Sometimes I miss high school. Well, really I miss my friends. But I know that if given the chance, I wouldn’t go back. Like I said earlier, I’m not the same person I was back then. I’m smarter, happier, and overall ready for the future. I realized who I needed to keep around, and luckily get to see the majority of my old friends still.
9. Fear doesn’t get to control you.
I struggled with anixety for a really long time. When I was a freshman, I realized just how much it was getting in the way. It is still something that I deal with now, but I’m able to push past my fears, and have gotten to do things I wouldn’t have done otherwise because of it.
10. You are right where you need to be.
This is hard to remember, especially with everything going on in the world right now, but it’s true. You’ll always end up where you were meant to be, and you just have to keep pushing.