If you end up going to college, it is one of the most transforming periods of your life. For most, its their first time living away from home, learning how to live without family support and living in a brand new environment with complete strangers. I’m coming close to being done with my second year in college, so I’m going to share with you many of the lessons I’ve learned these past few years so maybe you don’t have to learn these lessons the hard way.
Most people suck
Call me a pessimist, but most people you will meet in college, or in general, suck. Whether it’s because of personal preference or a lack of good character, you aren’t going to get along with most people, and that’s ok. Just remember, it’s worth it to meet the people that are going to transform your college experience for the better. It’s not just your college experience; this is your life, and you deserve the best people to surround you with. Be wary of who you let into your life and who you give your energy to.
Create a life you enjoy waking up to
This is by far one of the best pieces of advice I received this year. You shouldn’t live a life where you dread getting out of bed. Now there are the obvious things that you do have to get done, regardless if they are enjoyable or not, like class, work, etc. But try and make your life as enjoyable as you can. Take classes you enjoy if possible, get a job you enjoy doing, cut off people that are causing you too much stress, resolve issues you’ve been avoiding, change your environment, literally anything. You only have one life, you deserve to enjoy it.
There is no “right way” to spend your college years, spend it how you want.
On social media recently, I feel like there’s been an uproar over the idea that spending your college years partying is a waste of time and you should focus on planning the rest of your life and making money. In comparison, I also feel like I’ve seen a lot of people saying that you only have one college experience and that you should spend it partying, drinking, etc. The truth is, it is your life and you should spend it exactly how you want. Do what you want, regardless of what other people think because there will never be a “right way.”
You will always be the villain in someone’s story, no matter how well you treat them.
You could do everything right, but you are bound to end up in this position some day. You are not perfect either. You should never feel like less because you made a little mistake. You are human. Heck, maybe you have never made a mistake in your life, you are still going to end up the villain in someone’s eyes and that is ok.
You can’t make someone like you
Whether this is platonic or romantic, you can never make someone else like you. No matter how friendly, good looking, funny, generous, smart, amazing, etc., you are, if someone can’t find themselves liking you, it is not your job to convince them.
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Your problems aren’t going to fix themselves. If you are in a situation that you don’t like and it is consistently putting stress on you, change it. If you have a bad sleep schedule and keep complaining about it, change it. If you are in a toxic relationship, change it. Identify and face your problems head on, make your life enjoyable.
Do it alone.
This one has been one of the most influential and personal quotes for me. Coming into college, I literally didn’t know anyone, so I pretty much had to do everything alone at first. But, this is also how you meet new people and grow your circle. Starting out, I had friends who didn’t have the same interests as me, so I was forced to do a lot of stuff alone. Unknowingly, this ended up being an absolute blessing in disguise. Doing things alone, it made it a lot easier to connect with new people and find people that did relate to what I liked. I know it can be scary, but trust me, you can do it alone too. A lot more people feel like this than you might think.
If you are in college, use its resources.
Need therapy? Chances are your university offers free sessions throughout the semester. Never been rock climbing? Chances are your university also has a rock climbing area. Go for a swim, go to a workout class, join a club, join a sports league, get free condoms- the possibilities are almost endless. Remember you are paying for this, so why not get the most out of it.
Prioritize your health; nutrition, exercise, and sleep.
This one is probably the most overlooked piece of advice ever, at least in my opinion. Your nutrition, exercise, and sleep patterns will dictate how you feel and act throughout your day, so making sure you are eating right, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep is so important, especially when it comes to your social life. There have been times when I completely ignore social interaction, do badly on tests, and be unproductive just because I simply didn’t get enough sleep. Taking care of yourself is one of the simplest things to do, but by far one of the most important.
I hope you got something out of at least one of these! Live your life how you want, don’t waste your time on negative energy and take care of yourself. Thank you for reading!