High school wasn’t the best four years of my life. I didn’t have a high school sweetheart, I didn’t score a legendary point in some sort of sport (in fact I didn’t even play a sport), and I didn’t even go to prom, so you could say I didn’t peak in high school. I was the kid that laid low and dreamed of fitting in, the one buying name-brand clothes at Goodwill in an effort to look like my peers and or like the girls going on dates every weekend. I did not go on dates every weekend. I was the girl that got left out on plans, and I was generally overlooked. Don’t get me wrong, high school was still a prominent time in my life, and do I wish I had put myself out there and had the confidence to be who I really was? Absolutely. But I also wouldn’t change a thing. I achieved a lot of things in those four years, and got myself into my dream college! And high school prepared me for the challenges that were ahead, specifically at that dream college.
I was prepared for college to be the best four years of my life, as my elders had always promised me. And while I do believe I’ve made some of my best memories here, I would also argue that college has opened my eyes to the idea that your life doesn’t have to be divided into segments of promises. Every day is not going to be amazing, every day is not going to be easy, and every year is not going to make for a promised “best.” I went into college with my eyes full of the endless possibilities, of the clubs I would join, the friendships I would make, and the degree I would inevitably earn. What I hadn’t had in mind, however, were the detours I would make along the way to that degree. While I have joined clubs and made friends, I hadn’t pictured the endless myriad of things that could potentially go differently than I had planned for them to. I hadn’t pictured the friendships that wouldn’t last, the injuries I could procure through a dance major, the illnesses I would get thanks to my poor immune system, nor the difficulty of classes and being away from family. However, I did finally start learning who I was, what triumphs I could withstand and the type of person I was hoping to become.
I think I’ve learned something very valuable: that perhaps they call college the “best four years of your life,” mainly because of the lessons you learn along the way. The lessons that you will carry with you through more than just four years, the ones you can teach those you meet along your own years. I remember before heading off to school my mother told me not to take this opportunity for granted, as not everyone was offered the same type of privilege that getting to go to a prestigious and highly competitive institution such as mine offered. However, what she didn’t tell me was that the things we take for granted are the moments that we wish could last forever — laughing with your friends when you should be doing homework, quickly grabbing coffees on lazy Sunday afternoons, dancing under the moonlight down the main stretch of pathway that leads you home. These are the moments that captivate, the reminders of why you keep pushing forward, even when things get overwhelming.
College doesn’t have to be the best four years of your life. In fact, college is a different experience for every single person that attends it, which is why that initial statement is a loaded promise in the first place. For some, college might mean partying every weekend; for others, it’s keeping your head low. Some may find themselves studying 24/7, and others may find themselves procrastinating a dangerous amount. Whatever it is or winds up being, it’s okay if it isn’t everything you thought it may be. It’s okay if it isn’t everything you had planned for it to be. It’s okay if you feel scared, or worried, or you miss home. It’s okay if your battles feel less than others or if you find yourself comparing your journey to those around you. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, and it’s normal to be confused. We’re growing up, we’re moving on, and someday we’ll look back and realize that maybe college wasn’t the best four years of our lives. But still, we sure learned something.