Coming to a huge university was a pivotal point in my life, as I am sure it is in other individual’s lives as well. The people, the opportunities, the education and the American college culture was all overwhelming. But after settling in my first year and learning the ropes of college life, I found a path to follow. That path has provided me with numerous lessons in relationships, responsibility, academics, and more. Life during college has its fair share of ups and downs, and for a good reason. These are your formative years that determine a significant amount of your future.
IF you do it right, college should force you out of your comfort zone
A lot of our lives are spent doing what’s familiar and comfortable. If we get too accustomed to that, growth becomes minimal. We improve ourselves when presented with challenges and the unknown, because that is when we can take charge of our self-development. In college, this might mean joining an organization that caters to your interests that you have never tried before. Or this can mean studying abroad in a foreign country and having to advocate for yourself in an unfamiliar circumstance. For some people, even taking a challenging class might force them out of their comfort zone because they improve in advancing their knowledge or skills. I believe it’s all subjective, but some sort of personal growth should occur.
choose wisely the people you spend the most time with
Let’s do a little self-reflection: when you think of your day-to-day interactions, who do you find yourself spending the most time with? Do these people leave you feeling supported and cared for or do they drain you instead? People tend to mirror other people’s actions and behavior. It is so important to fall in with the right group of friends and to experience genuine human connection. You can find friends everywhere: in your classes, extracurricular organizations, parties, online groups and in your dorm/apartment building. Everyone is looking for someone.
Do not compare your academic Journey to someone else’s
If you take anything away from this, let it be this piece of advice: everyone’s academic journey is different. Each individual has their own timeline and it may not necessarily look like yours. There are students who can handle taking three or four rigorous classes all in one semester, and there are students who perform better while only taking one or two (myself included). It all comes down to balance and timing. I know it may seem like the people around you are in a “better” place than you in their college career, but what you see on the surface is only the partial truth. As long as you are taking responsibility for your own education and getting things done, it shouldn’t matter how you’re doing and if it is different from your peers. Everything works out one way or another.
