My college experience has never been conventional. I started in the Spring rather than the Fall semester, which left me in a really awkward place as I was a semester behind the people I graduated with.
I commuted from home because I only lived 30 minutes away from campus, but I found myself missing out on the things you normally experience in college.
Dorm life, rush season, parties, dating, you get the point. There were times where my motivation to go to class was nonexistent, which in turn made my grades suffer.
Everyone I knew at school was also super involved and coming from being like that in high school, not really doing anything other than going to class and then home left me feeling very unfulfilled with my "college experience".
However, once my freshman year came to a close, and my sophomore year was quickly approaching, I told myself these next 2 semesters would be different. I made college more about me, and what exactly I wanted from it.
I had this idea of what college was supposed to be and how it's portrayed in movies and on social media was all I thought about, but I knew no matter what, I was leaving with a degree in my hand.
So I focused on getting my grades up and would be on campus longer to get everything done. I was determined to meet new (genuine) people and was ready to see the school in a different light rather than a social playground. Before I knew it was enjoying classes more and more each day that passed.
Now in the second half of my sophomore year, I've met new people, made new friends, met my wonderful boyfriend, joined some clubs, and have just recently moved into an apartment on my campus. When I compare my life to how it was last year, things are so much different, but in the best way possible.
I want to encourage anyone who is having a difficult time making friends in college or is dealing with the same problems I did, just has hope and hold out. College is different for everyone, and there's no "right" way to do it.
Beca from Pitch Perfect isn't real, and neither is that college experience. So whether you join a sorority or not, are best friends with your roommate or not, or that you like to stay in rather than go out and party, each experience is valid. Put more value on why you decided to attend college in the first place rather than why other people are there.