The first semester of college was definitely an emotional roller coaster filled with unexpected moments of struggle and happiness. Before I came to college, I had anticipated what difficulties I might go through, but now that it’s the second semester, I realize what valuable lessons I have gained from certain experiences. For those of you who are still in your freshman year, like myself, many of these lessons can be quite eye opening. Hopefully, they will make us better people who are now more ready for the future.
1. Most of the time, the people you befriend in the first few days of school will not stick with you forever
I think this one is pointed out quite often, but I just wanted to include it because I relate to this well. In the beginning, even when I felt that I actually didn’t click well with certain people in the group, I forced myself to be surrounded by those people and tried my best to get along with everybody. Only as I was exposed to more students on campus did I realize the kinds of people I truly belonged with and wanted to get close to.
2. Quality talks with your roommates at 3 am are life-changing
I feel extremely blessed to have roommates that I love and get along with. They’ve been there for me since day 1 and give me the best advice whenever I’m going through a rough time.
3. Don’t rush into things that are only sparkly and beautiful on the outside
Being in college for the first time, I found many things to be new, interesting, and attracting, and I’m sure all of you did too. Sometimes we don’t listen to our friends’ suggestions and end up hurting ourselves by rushing into things. I definitely didn’t think certain things through before, like getting into relationships, but I don’t regret anything because it only made me a more experienced, stronger and wiser individual.
4. Pulling all-nighters changes you as a person in ways you can’t even comprehend
Like many college students, I am definitely guilty of pulling all-nighters. I think after realizing the toll pulling 2 all-nighters in a row took on my body and mind, I became much more organized and tried to make sure I get a decent amount of sleep every night. It was scary seeing how different and psychotic I was acting due to lack of sleep.
5. People who give you bad vibes are toxic
Another thing I am guilty of is giving toxic people more chances than they deserve. Sometimes we misjudge people and have too much hope that they’ll be able to change. However, your ominous intuitions are probably right and it’s better to cut those people out of your lives. You’ll take time to recover but eventually, you’ll get there.
6. It’s completely normal to mess up and make bad decisions
Bad decisions are part of life so don’t be ashamed if you mess up. This is awfully cliché, but what’s important is that you learn from your mistakes and mature from them.
7. There is nothing wrong with going on a diet as long as you take the healthy route
I used to hate my body and was never satisfied with my weight. It’s hard because I personally feel that social media puts a lot of pressure on us to look a certain way. I resorted to unhealthy habits, like continuously eating less and sometimes even starving myself. What I didn’t realize was that this irregularity in my diet only made me gain more weight in the long run. I gained a lot of weight my first semester, but now I’m on my way to a healthier lifestyle not a “diet”.
8. Sometimes bad decisions help make the greatest friends
Some of my most valuable friends I actually met through events and situations that I initially thought would be horrible ideas. I’m not saying you should go out and do bad things but don’t regret them either and make the best out of the situation.
9. If you’re not going to sell yourself, nobody else will
If you’re an introvert like I am, you’ll be able to relate to this on a more personal level. I used to be an extremely quiet and shy girl until I reached my end-of-Junior/Senior year of high school. 18 years of life has helped me come to the conclusion that because of my RBF (Resting B*tch Face), some people were scared to approach me. From then on, I made it my goal to approach people that I wanted to be friends with first because if I don’t do it, I might never have the chance to talk to them. It’s hard to get yourself out there, but once you do, you’ll thank yourself for the chances you’ve taken.
10. Don’t be afraid to try again just because you failed the first time
This applies to everything in your life: grades, classes, relationships, etc. If for some unfortunate reason things don’t turn out successful, at least you can be proud that you tried.