What I Wish I Knew Going In
I remember being a freshman in college, having no idea what was coming my way. I was freshly single, and navigating that while pressuring myself to figure out exactly what I wanted to do meant I really couldn’t have much fun. I wasn’t a party girl and spent a lot of my nights in my dorm room watching Disney+ and wondering when things would begin to make sense. As a graduating senior, I look back at myself and see a completely different person. I grew so much and almost can’t believe the person I used to be existed. Here are five things that I am so grateful college has taught me:
1. Your Health Comes First
At this point in our lives, we’re so in our heads that everything we do has to be purposeful, which often leads us to put our responsibilities ahead of our physical and mental health. And sometimes it’s just not possible to avoid that. But whenever possible, please remember to put your health first. You can miss a class when you don’t feel well and you can reschedule a plan with your friends when you literally don’t want to move off your couch. I learned to understand my needs better and to do right by these needs instead of forcing myself to engage in things I didn’t enjoy because of FOMO. Now, I’m not perfect—I definitely still do things because of FOMO, but I’m better at saying no when I’m really not in the mood.
2. How To Keep Pushing
If college has taught me anything, it’s how to keep going. You learn how to push yourself during the times when your rent is due and you’ve got to work a shift, or you’ve got that midterm that you need a good grade on. College makes you go out of your comfort zone and be strong even when you may feel like giving up and staying in bed the entire week. You will have bad days and life gets complicated and hard, but only you can change the way you look at life.
3. Being Lonely is Better Than Fake Friends
I will say this for my entire life. It is so much better to spend your time alone and potentially be lonely than to feel alone in the middle of a bunch of people. You inevitably rely on friends when you’re in college, so make sure the people you have around you are people who genuinely care for you and will be there for you when you need them. It can be hard to find those people sometimes, but it’s much better to spend a few weekends alone than to surround yourself with selfish people who don’t care about your well-being or are pushing their own agenda.
4. You Will Find Your Way
Try not to pressure yourself too much about figuring everything out. Everyone has their own timeline and a lot of jobs, save jobs in law or the medical field, don’t necessarily depend on what you get your degree in. Experience is everything, so try new things and see what you like—your degree is not the end-all, be-all. Most importantly, you are going to be okay no matter what you decide. My dad got his master’s in engineering and now does consulting; I’m majoring in psychology and want to do social media because I tried out new clubs and got internships that made me realize my major wasn’t exactly perfect for what I wanted to do. You are going to find a job that you’ll be happy in, so do not assume your major determines your entire career, because it does not.
5. Enjoy It—It Goes Fast
Last but not least, college goes by so fast. Maybe it’s because of COVID, but I still feel like a junior, and it’s hard to believe that I’m already almost done with this chapter of my life. Appreciate every opportunity you get and all the classes you take. You don’t have to force yourself to be somewhere you don’t want to be, but wherever you are, try to enjoy it because you truly do not get that moment back. I know, it’s easier said than done, but try to go into experiences with an open mind, and you’re much more likely to enjoy yourself.
These aren’t the only college lessons, and everyone learns something different—these are just my personal takeaways. College can be a hard time for everyone because it’s a lot of new things all at once and it can be overwhelming. You will always have times where life is not going your way. I still have bad days and get anxious about my future; that will never change. But you are strong and you have it in you to control the way your experience will shape out to be. Don’t give up and keep trying to make the best of every situation. Good luck!