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College changes you…really. I know that sounds like some b.s. quote your parents tell you, or that the parents on Boy Meets World or Full House would say. It sounds dramatic and college is by no means some magical transformative experience, but I find that I’m not the same person I was four years ago. I can firmly say I am a different person than I was when I first started college. In fact, through every section of schooling from middle school to high school to college, I’ve found myself becoming closer to the person I want to be or maybe the person I’ve always been. Deep.
Overall, I can say that there are a lot of ways college changes you. These will not apply to everyone and they’ll often apply at different levels. I can only really take from my experience. Anyway, here are some ways you change when you go to college––based on some ways I did.
1. You take charge.
To be fair, I don’t always take charge in every situation. If I’m at a restaurant and I need extra napkins, I’ll probably try to get someone else to get them. But, if I’m at a meeting or in a group project, I am usually the first one to step up and take charge. Being in college has definitely made me more inclined to take charge, especially because I often have the mindset of If I don’t, no one else will.
2. You embrace independence.
While I still prefer being with friends and others over being alone, I enjoy being independent. It’s nice to be able to walk around, schedule meetings and even cook dinner on my own. College allows you to have so much independence, especially because no one’s monitoring your curfew or constantly asking where you are.
3. You get better at sorting out people who are important to you.
The busier you get, the less time you have and the more you have to really work to make time for others. When doing this, I find it’s easier to figure out who’s most important to you. When you have that one hour break between classes, who do you try to see? When you’ve finally got a night off and want to hang out with friends, who’s invited? The busier you are, the easier it is to be picky about the people you spend your time with.
4. You realize most people don’t actually know what they’re doing.
Being an adult is an illusion! It’s comforting and terrifying all at once. As I’ve gotten older, I realize more and more that people who I often thought were very professional and knowledgeable might not be as much of either of those things as I thought. Everyone’s just figuring things out regardless of age. There won’t ever be a time when life is totally figured out and you totally know what you’re doing.
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