Before entering college, I was always told that these were going to be the best four years of my life. I would say that in some ways this is accurate, but in others it couldn’t be further from the truth. College is a time where we are expected to find ourselves, lose ourselves, but also stay true to ourselves. We are told to do well in school, join clubs, work, volunteer, and between all of that somehow have a social life. If you are confused on how that is all supposed to happen, you aren’t the only one.
When I was a freshman I looked at college as a strict set of guidelines that I would be following throughout the next four years. I thought that I knew what I wanted to do with my life, and when I changed my mind, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I was messing up my perfect life-plan. I was fighting what the purpose of this time in our lives is, to make mistakes. I thought I had to have everything put together to fit like a puzzle and have it all figured out, but little did I know, mostly everyone struggles at this point in their life.
There have been multiple times in my college career that I have questioned who I am and who I want to be. I have been on my highest-highs while in college, but also my lowest-lows. In some moments, I have asked myself how life could get any better, but in others I have wondered if it will all work out in the end. College seems to always be changing pace and pushing us to be a greater version of ourselves. Because of this, it can leave many of us feeling like we are inadequate.
So you have changed your major a million times and now you have to get your degree in some extra years? I’m sure you learned from it. So you studied hours for a test and didn’t do as well as you wanted… There will be an opportunity for you to try again. And most of all, who cares that you aren’t the person you thought that you would be at the end of these college years? What’s important is that you are able to find the best possible version of yourself and be proud of it. Focus on what you are doing instead of everything that you feel you aren’t.
Instead of stressing the small stuff, I challenge you to make memories that you can laugh about later. Don’t be so hard on yourself when you don’t feel like you have your life put together, because in the end, you will be able to look back on this time and have a better idea of who you are purely because your life was a little bit of a mess.
Now, go live off Taco Bell and Starbucks and be proud of it! We are just in college, you know.