Welcome back to campus, Owls! Spring semester is in full swing and I cannot believe my first semester of freshman year is over. As I prepare for this new semester, I feel like I have learned so much from my first few months here at TU. I’m thankful to have grown so much and stepped out of my comfort zone in this new chapter of my life. From gaining confidence and making new friendships to learning time management and developing healthy habits, college has shaped me into a better person.
Here are some of the life lessons that my first semester has taught me:
- It’s Okay To Feel Alone.
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Moving from a small town to a big school in a big city is quite a daunting move! It’s natural that you will feel lonely as a new freshman. After my family dropped me off on move-in day, tears were shed. I didn’t know what to do with myself and felt rather lonely. However, I quickly learned that everyone was in the same boat as me. With this mindset, it became easier to branch out and talk to people more. No matter how many friends you make in college, there will still be times where you feel lonely, and that’s perfectly okay! I learned to be patient with myself during such a big transition in life. Just give yourself time.
- Cherish Your College Friends.
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They are here for you as you make this transition into college. They will be there for your mental breakdowns and they’ll cheer you up when you feel homesick. They’ll be there for the lunch dates, nights out and everything in between. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have my best friends by my side for my first semester.
- Be Yourself– It Will Get You So Far!!
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As cliche as it sounds, being yourself will get you so far in life. Don’t ever feel like you have to change yourself to fit in. Your vibe attracts your tribe! By being your true self, you’ll find your people who will appreciate your full, weird, crazy self.
- Shoot Your Shot. It’s Better To Regret The Things You Did Do Than To Regret The Things You Didn’t Do
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Ask yourself “what’s the worst that could happen?”. Whether it be with that cute boy from class, an internship opportunity, a leadership position that you applied for, or anything else! Always take the risk. You don’t want to look back and wonder what could have been if you had sucked it up and tried.
- Count Your Blessings.
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It’s so easy to complain about when things go wrong. Homework, friendship issues, group projects, dining hall food, anything under the sun. Sometimes you just need to stop yourself and your negativity and remind yourself how awesome life is. There are so many things in life we take for granted. For example, we often take for granted our health, friends, family, education, shelter and the literally the ability to walk from point A to point B. You are young, healthy, capable and so, so loved. Count your blessings every single day.
- Time Management Is So Important!
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Something I didn’t learn until I began college. You’re only playing yourself by putting off writing that paper. Stop watching Netflix and just start your homework. The last thing you want to do is sit in the residence hall lounge until 3 a.m. writing a paper about The Jitterbug for your art gen ed. Especially when you have an 8 a.m. (speaking from personal experience).
- A Good Playlist Can Make All The Difference.
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Editing my Spotify playlists is seriously therapeutic for me. I love having new playlists organized with new artists I discovered or songs I have been recently connecting with. While college can be stressful, music allows me to calm my mind and escape for a little while.
- Call Your Family
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You miss them and they miss you. Try your hardest to check in with the fam as much as you can. They are your support system and want to help you through anything life throws at you. I love calling home and hearing how everyone is doing, it makes me feel like I’m right there with them.
- A Day Without Laughter Is A Day Wasted.
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Period.
- You Can’t Please Everyone.
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No matter how hard you may try, you simply can’t please everyone. You have to make decisions based on what is best for you. Not everyone is going to be happy with your decisions, but ultimately you have to do what will make you the happiest.