When you’re growing up, all you want to do is be older so you can do whatever you want. Then finally, when you make it to twenty one you wonder where your whole childhood went. You never expect to miss those days of waking up Saturday mornings to watch cartoons and eat cereal with your family until you’re staring at the overdue rent notice plastered on your apartment door or the frozen dinner in your fridge– don’t you love being a grown up?
In college, you have a certain freedom you don’t get at any other time of your young life. The college experience can be overwhelming and refreshing all at the same time. You think to yourself, “Wow I finally have space away from home where I have the room to define who I am and who I want to be the next four years.”
College can be tough whether you’re going to a university in your hometown or moving to a different state. Regardless, you’re going to make new friends and eventually lose touch with high school pals. It’s the circle of life. Keep in mind that everything happens for a reason. Remember that the friends you can still talk to after weeks at a time and it still feels like you haven’t missed a beat are the ones you want to keep around. You’ve got to give yourself room to grow, experience new things and make new connections. You never know where they might take you.
Relationships in college can be another growing pain. One thing I’ve learned from personal experience is that relationships should never be stressful. The person you choose to be with should understand that number one, you’re both college students and number two, you both have a lot to figure out as individuals. Meaning, when it’s time to focus on your grades or an internship or whatever vitality to your future it might be, be able to take that time to spend on yourself and get your ducks in a row. At the end of the day, the only person in control of your college career is you.
We’ve all heard the saying “no pain, no gain.” Be prepared for the excitement that is college but also be prepared for the rigors and challenges of academic work. Sure, the parties will be monumental and that cute guy in your philosophy class is dreamy but remind yourself every so often why it is you came to college. Don’t get me wrong, go out there and live your college life, in fact, enjoy it to the best of your abilities. Just keep in mind that if you’re going to play hard, you have to work hard. All in all, it’s not highschool anymore and we can no longer cling to the word “kid” because we are no longer that. All we can do is learn through trial and error, hope for the day we get to toss up our graduation caps, and receive a diploma that reflects all our much-earned recognition.