5 valuable takeaways from freshman year

Six months ago I stepped on the sands of Arizona State University with a lot of expectations, hopes, doubts and even insecurities. Now that I’m two weeks away from kissing goodbye to my freshman year, all I can say is “Boy have I changed!”

In fact, change is an understatement. However, change can be gratifying when you fully embrace it. Here is a quick rundown of the most valuable lessons I got from my freshman year.

Lesson 1

Treat yourself right and the world will follow your lead.

Really it is all part of a reflex action. If you see yourself as the typical average girl who is incapable of doing anything remarkable, then the world will perceive you in the same light. If you settle for just about anything, can you blame the world when it starts treating you like a typical numpty?

First things first, see yourself for what you are worth. Self-care and self-love are very important in making the best out of freshman year. You will meet people who take delight in bringing you down. You will experience a lot of disappointments and failures…. Only self-love is able to carry you through and soothe away all the hurt.  

Open letter to all incoming freshmen,

Hopefully, by then people will still be listening to old Selena Gomez songs. If they still do, just tune into your Spotify and listen to the song “Who says?”

Savor in the lyrics and let them sink into you, “I’m no beauty queen. I’m just beautiful me! Who says you are not perfect? Who says you are not worthy? Who says you can’t be the best?”

Lesson 2

Everyone is a good person once you get to know them.

I will be outright honest about this. Over the past year, I have judged a whole trainload of people, and I am not proud of it. However, I am extremely proud of the fact that instead of simply holding tight onto the misconceptions I had of certain people, I learned to have an open mind.

I have become friends with people I never thought I could I could ever be friends with. All because I gave them a chance. Thus, it is imperative that you do not measure everyone by the same standard measurement. Everyone is unique, and they have different things to contribute to your life.

Dear world,

Be open minded. Instead of only focusing on other people’s flaws, why don’t you focus on their admirable traits?

Lesson 3

Good grades and having a life are not mutually exclusive. The main issue has to do with good planning. You can go for the girls night out and still get an A on your math exam. You just have to learn to prioritize. Through it all, treat yourself once in awhile.

Meet new people, indulge in small talk with the guy…or the girl sitting next to you in the dining hall.

Lesson 4

Have a support system

The best of friends are not the ones who are always there. They are the ones who are always there when you need them. Find friends like that and never let them go. Enjoy some goofy moments… those memories will stay with you forever.

P.S. Even if the goofy moments mean having to endure two long hours of “Hard Core Henry” the movie.

To my “weird friends,”

Especially the one who picked the movie, I forgave you the same night. The beauty of it lies in the fact that we were all together during the entire two hours.

Lession 5

Go back down memory lane once in awhile, but don’t get stuck in it.

Every so often, take the time to reflect on old high school memories, the good memories and the what could have beens. Reflect on what you could have done differently and what you are most proud of. Cherish the moments, but please don’t get stuck in the past for too long. Never let your past failures or mistakes define you. Definitely don’t get too hung up on what you lost, embrace the present because it has a lot to offer.

Open letter to my freshman year from Shantel the “rising sophomore,”

Thank you for all the valuable lessons. You were not the best, but you were indeed one of the most life- transforming ages in my life. I have met a lot of wonderful people. I have achieved a lot more in one year than I have done in my whole lifetime.

Dear freshman year …to you I will forever be grateful.