The 4 College Experiences That Change Who You Are
Start writing a post
Student Life

The 4 College Experiences That Change Who You Are

There are some beautiful moments that occur in college hidden in the everyday.

5
The 4 College Experiences That Change Who You Are
pexels

Your college years are filled with some crazy, amazing, and unique experiences. For many people like myself, college is the first time when we’re on our own and don’t have our parents around to make sure we get home safely, do our homework, eat all our meals and keep our rooms clean (my roommates know this is a huge struggle for me, sorry guys). These new responsibilities lead to new opportunities to take advantage of every day. Leading up to and during your first few weeks of college, countless people will inevitably tell you about all the different experiences you’ll have during your four years, like boring classes, scary professors, parties, Greek life, and intramural sports. What a lot of people tend to leave out are the tiny, everyday moments that seem so forgettable as they are happening, but end up becoming cherished memories.

Here are 4 of the most unforgettable, small moments that everyone should experience in college.

1. The first time you really connect with one of your new friends.

Freshman year, you tend to have a lot of acquaintances and people you are just friends with because they were the first people you could find who seemed nice. The most amazing feeling is when you actually get to know one of those new people and discover just how similar you are. This may happen because of a random partner assignment in class, a service project, or when you’re awkwardly left alone with a person and have no choice but to talk to them. Maybe, if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself sitting on your dorm room floor at midnight, sharing a grapefruit on a random Thursday with a new friend, telling each other your life stories and feeling totally comfortable with each other. Beautiful friendships have risen from some of the weirdest circumstances.

2. The first time you eat lunch alone. Then, someone comes to join you.

At some point during college, you’re going to be hungry and all of your friends are going to be busy. You’re left with two choices: either don’t eat and be sad because you’re hungry all day or face the scary cafeteria alone. Sitting alone during a meal can lead to some great reflection time. College is often so busy that we rarely get time to ourselves. When you eat alone, you're forced to be your own friend and check up on how you feel about your life at the moment. Furthermore, sometimes, someone may even come and sit with you when they see you sitting alone. There are few things better than experiencing someone reaching out to you and purposefully trying to make your day a little brighter.

3. The first time you have your heart broken.

College is filled with a lot of very happy moments, but it can also contains some bitter trials. Sometimes, things don’t work out the way we’d like them to. We may not get the job we were hoping for, we may not do well on a project we believed we had excelled at, or our hearts may be broken by someone we cared about very much. The pain of a romantic heartbreak is very real and very overwhelming. We may lose ourselves for a little while, trying to figure out what went wrong and find ways to make ourselves feel whole again. During this process of healing, we can discover the relentless strength of our own souls. Although it hurts, heartbreak can be the most beautiful experience we go through.

4. The first time you are forced to realize that God is all you have, and He is truly all you need.

The most important lesson I’ve learned in college so far is that God will always be with me, will never forsake me, and He knows what He’s doing. There have been times that have rocked me to my core, where I felt alone and felt as though no one could help me. I felt lost. The first time this happened, during my freshman year, I visited the chapel. I knelt down, and just started crying uncontrollably. At first, the tears were from sadness, but as I looked up at the crucifix and saw Jesus gazing at me, they were from how overwhelmingly great His love felt. At that moment, I knew I was not alone, and I never would be. This was the most unforgettable realization I had freshman year, and I hope, if nothing else, everyone will be able to have a moment like this at some point during their time in college.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

58166
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37470
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959108
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

192881
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments