Life is full of transitions, but going from high school to college has got to be the biggest jump of them all. Keep in mind that you're going from living with your family to being completely independent in a few short months. No wonder why college students are confused, broken, and instable. No worries, there are so many good sides to college too. In fact, personally for me, there were a lot more good things that happened to me in college than the bad.
1. College taught me to become independent quicker
Well technically, we haven't reached the adult world yet, but we kind of have...? There are so many gray lines when trying to determine if college students are adults or not. I certainly don't feel like it, but I'm 18, so I guess according to the law, I'm an adult. To be honest, if I didn't have college coming my way, I would've still been relying on my parents for most of the things I do by myself now. I'm glad I was able to learn from myself and others around me.
2. College helped me bloom socially
I still consider myself an introvert, but there was something about coming into college that helped me keep conversations going longer. I was no longer afraid to go up to someone and ask for help. I'm still shy, but I can honestly see myself progressing as I start to raise my hand once in a while during some classes. Coming into college made me realize that I can't depend on my parents to help me meet new people and make new friends. I have to put myself out there and meet new people myself.
3. College taught me to take time for myself
It wasn't until college that I started to realize the importance of taking the time to relax and treat myself. During high school, I thought that studying hard with no breaks and spending my weekends studying was the best way to be successful. College taught me that shouldn't be the case. Your mental health is more important so it's ideal to give time for yourself. I learned this especially during finals week when a bunch of clubs created activities to relieve stress.
This was certainly the hardest transition for me, especially since I had to move to another city on my birthday, a few days before actually going to college. It was rough on me at first, but I managed to get adjusted only because I'm surrounded by supportive family, friends, and professors. I'm so glad that I've had a worthwhile and valuable experience at college so far only from the first semester. I can't wait for the many more lessons that college will teach me!
