If you’re a high school or college student, then I’m sure you’ve heard the phrases, “These 4 years will fly by," or “These are going to be the best years of your life.” Well, if you want me to be completely honest with you, these years are just the beginning. These years do fly by. They definitely will be the some of the best years of your life, however, they aren’t going to be the only ones. As a freshman in college, I was going into the year pretty much alone. I had very few friends and was quite a “loner." Looking back on it now, I would’ve done everything completely differently.
Dear Freshman Me,
You will miss your family more than you think.
Growing up as an only child was amazing! My parents and grandparents spoiled me rotten. Though I thought going off to college would be a piece of cake being out on my own, but little did I know, I needed my family more than I thought. I missed my dad’s famous chili as I watched the NFL games every Sunday. I missed my mom doing my laundry and folding my clothes in the most perfect way. I missed my dog and the way she greeted me every morning. I learned to never take anything for granted, because the people God puts in your life are blessings in disguise.
Your “friends” won’t always be there for you.
You meets a ton of new people during college, whether they're people in a club or class, or just a new person down the hall. But not everyone you meet is who you think they are. Always be true to yourself, and don’t change for anybody. Sometimes people come into your life just to teach you who not be.
Don’t pay $3 for laundry if you don’t have to.
If you go home a lot like I did, then save your money and save your laundry for the weekends when you make a trip back home! Besides, who knows what goes inside those washing machines anyways.
It’s okay to not be the "party type."
This is so important to remember. Just because everyone else likes getting drunk on the weekends does not mean you have to. I am so proud of myself for not giving in to peer pressure, because honestly I have better things to do than drink my life away on the weekends. Now, I am not saying drinkers are bad people, but it isn’t for everybody, and that's okay!
Stay true to you.
You will meet lots of people and by the end of college everyone will be different. Change isn’t a bad thing and it’s not a good thing either. Don’t follow the crowd. Be your own person, and live each day to the fullest. Always be the best version of yourself. Being original is better than anything else!
Going into a new environment is scary. You're going to learn a lot and make many mistakes along the way. I believe that we make mistakes in order to learn from them. My freshman year of college was never perfect, but it taught me a lot. And that’s what school is meant to be: a learning experience. I live my life with no regrets, and I regret nothing I did my freshman year. I am a better person, now, going into my junior year because of it! These will be the quickest and most fun years of your life, so LIVE IT UP! Oh, and study of course!
Love,
Junior Me
