1.You need calls to/from home sweet home
We all went to college thinking we could be independent adults who don’t need to be taken care of by our parents anymore. That quickly changed the minute we were dropped off and felt a little alone. We realized that just because we are 18 and living on our own does not mean we need to be on our own. Nothing beats a phone call from home or a picture of your house/room because no matter how much we don’t want to admit it, there is just no place like home.
2. You don’t need a million friends
Let’s be real, every incoming freshman has the initial thought of gaining a whole “new life” and with that, all new college friends. “How could we keep all of our high school friends? I don’t want to be stuck in high school?” We can’t lie, those questions came out of our mouths or ran through our minds at least once when entering our new lives. The truth is, high school friends are important, just as important as the new ones we make in college. What I’ve quickly realized is that I don’t need a million new friends, I’ve met a few friends I can see myself being friends with forever and I’ve let go of a few that weren’t meant to be there in the first place…I’m sure you all have too. And that’s okay.
3. Responsibility
Yeah, this one is rough. For years we have tried to convince our parents that we are “responsible” enough to do things on our own. Well now we are forced to prove that to be true. It is an interesting feeling the first time you realize that the reason you have no clean clothes is because you didn’t wash them yet or when you run out of food, it’s because you and your roommate ate it in a remarkable amount of time and don’t feel like going to buy more. Responsibility is cool don’t get me wrong. There are just some things that mom and dad do better… am I right?
4. You still have time to figure out the rest of your life.
I don’t know about the rest of you but when I entered college I was immediately overwhelmed with thoughts of the future. Everyone seems to have it all figured out, while I’m still trying to figure out the first step. This is where number 1 comes into play, from the crying phone calls to the stressful tears all it takes is “it’s gonna be okay” from your mom to realize that it really is. I don’t have to figure out the next 40 years of my life in the first 5 months of college, and neither do any of you.
5. Change is good
Sure, high school was fun and easy and everything seemed to be right with the world. And sure, the first semester of college makes life seem much harder and WAY more stressful but that’s the point. College is supposed to be challenging and change is supposed to happen. We cannot live in high school forever just like how we cannot live with our parents forever (even though that sounds very appealing at times). College made me realize that my life will continue to change whether I want it to or not so I may as well enjoy each of the different stages to the fullest. After all, these are the best years of our lives.
