College is the prime time in a person's life to be overwhelmed. Everything you have ever known for the past 18 years of your life will be put to the test and change as you transform into the most spectacular version of yourself. You will cry at least 3 times a day for no reason at all, you will be so broke even though you work every single day of your life, and you will make a lot of bad decisions that you'll eventually grow from. College teaches you things that you couldn't be taught in high school, and here a few that I am incredibly thankful for:
1. It's okay to not be okay.
I've spent a vast majority of time stressing over things that I have no control over. I've UGLY cried myself to sleep more nights than I'd like to admit from bottling up all of my emotions. I've felt like the ground beneath my feet was crumbling, the pieces of my heart were shattering, my relationships with people were failing, and basically everything sorrowful thing you can thing of. I've experienced a lot in my lifetime and have yet to experience so much more, but I have learned that it is okay to not be okay. Struggling is a part life. A person needs both the sun and the rain to grow.
2. There are incredible people in the world.
You will meet countless people with diverse backgrounds. You'll experience new cultures and learn so much that you never thought you could. That random girl in your psychology class that you never expected to talk to will become one of your best friends because she listens to the same bands you do, the boy that looks miserable and depressed all of the time in your history class will ask you about the assignments he missed and you will learn that he is very passionate about soccer and is actually a very upbeat person. The former veteran in your writing class will tell you stories about life-or-death situations and you will realize how lucky you really are. The things you learn from this people will change your perspectives on countless things.
3. Material belongings are not everything.
The relationships that you make with the people around you are the most important things you'll ever have. You're in college which means you're broke. It's part of the college-kid struggle. The friends who hit you up to just be in your company will mean the world to you. You probably don't have the newest car or phone out there, but you're thankful for what you have because you know that there are people out there who have it a lot worse than you.
4. You'll become incredibly determined.
You'll constantly doubt yourself and think you'll fail at everything, but it will only make you want to work harder to prove yourself wrong. You'll remember all of the things that people said you couldn't do and you'll strive to show them who you really are. You'll chase your dreams and do everything in your power to make them a reality. You know who you are, where you want to be, and know exactly what you need to do to get there. You're determined to lather in you're own success, and you'll refuse to let anyone else tell you otherwise.
But, most importantly:
5. You'll grow.
You are not the same person you were a year ago, a month ago, or even a day ago. You are constantly being changed by the decisions you make and the people and resources you surround yourself with. You'll lose friends that you thought you'd have forever and make friends with people that you would never think you'd hang out with, gain new perspectives on what matters and what doesn't, fall in love with people you never thought you'd meet, see the world through a new set of eyes, and one day without realizing it, you'll see how far you've really come, and you'll be incredibly proud of the results.
