It’s hard to believe that I’m now half-way done with my undergraduate education. It seems like yesterday I was arriving on my college campus for the very first time to begin my four year-long journey. Heck, I still remember the exact outfit I was wearing, what the weather conditions were like and what I was thinking as I made my way from class-to-class that day. It’s crazy how fast the time flies!
Now that I’ve completed the first two years of my undergrad, I’ve had some time to reflect on all the lessons I’ve acquired. Being in college has taught me so much more than what it’s taught me on an academic-level. Here are just a few of the things I’ve learned thus far:
1. Everyone is just as lost as you are.
You’re slowly blossoming into an adult and learning how to navigate the real world. You’re becoming more independent and learning how to do things for yourself. You’re choosing what you want to do and who you want to be for the rest of your life. That is a completely and utterly daunting task! It is quite literally a whole new world, as Aladdin would put it. You’re trying your best to make sense of it all but continuously feeling as though you’re coming up short. You feel desperate, hopeless and alone. Well, with time you’ll eventually learn that nearly everybody else is feeling the same way you are. Everyone is trying to learn how to function in the real world, some may just be better at pretending they’ve mastered it already.
2. No one actually cares about what you look like.
This isn’t high school anymore. You can wear whatever clothing you want, whether it’s name brand or from Walmart. You can dye your hair any color of your choosing, even if that color is blue or green. You can look like an A-list celebrity or a hobo. Yeah, depending on how eccentric your style is, you may get noticed by a few people, but it’s nothing more than a second thought in their minds. Like I said, everybody is just trying to figure out who they are and what they want in life; what you’re wearing is one of the last things they care about.
3. No one will judge you for your interests and passions.
You like anime? Cool. You’re a history buff? Awesome. You like worshiping God? Amazing. You’re an advocate for LGBT rights? Great. Whatever you’re interested in or passionate about, it most likely will not lead to a slew of taken-aback looks and stares like it might have in high school. You’ve found something you enjoy representing and talking about and doing; you’re doing something with your life. At the very least, most other college students will simply respect your interests and passions, but most of the time they’ll do more. They’ll ask you questions or tell you what they may know about it or mention they have a friend who is into the same hobbies you are. You’ll get a conversation, not a judgment.
4. It’s okay to miss your family and your home.
The comfort of your own bed. Your own bathroom and shower. Your mom’s homemade mashed potatoes. You’re grandpa’s hearty laugh. Your little sister’s lively smile. Your dog’s slobbery kisses. You’re bound to miss all of that on more than one occasion, and that’s okay. No one said college had to be 24/7 fun and bliss with friends; you’re allowed to miss your family and your home. Heck, even commuters can sometimes feel a little homesick after a long day on campus. It’s completely fine, and I guarantee nearly everyone feels homesick a few times during the semester.
5. Most people genuinely enjoy learning.
In high school, 99 percent of your classmates and you complained to the utmost degree about every single one of your classes. Back then, school was seen as a hassle and a nuisance. But now that you’re half-way done with college, you’ve noticed that you’ve actually enjoyed a few of your classes. At first, this thought seemed completely abnormal to you, and surely to those back in high school. You actually enjoy learning?! That’s not a bad thing. In fact, a majority of the people you talk to on your campus will probably list a few classes they loved going to and that taught them a lot. Learning really isn’t as bad or as boring as a lot of people can portray it to be.
6. Not everyone is drinking.
One of the biggest hypes of the college experience is the parties and the drinking that happens at these parties. It’s one of the first things that come to the minds of many when they hear the word ‘college.’ Truth is, not every college student is going out on their weekends and getting drunk. Many people choose not to drink, and that’s okay. In fact, no one really cares if you like to drink or not. So if you are into the party scene and want to go take some shots, go ahead(but of course, please be careful and know the risks of consuming too much alcohol)! If you just want to chill with some friends and be sober, then go ahead!
7. College is what you make of it.
Everyone always talks about having the ‘ultimate college experience,’ which is usually taken to mean meeting a bunch of really awesome people, going on new exciting adventures, and discovering your self-identity all while kicking butt in your academics. Truth is, there really is no criteria for having the ultimate college experience; it’s simply what you want it to be. So if you do want your experience to be defined by awesome people and adventures, that’s perfectly fine. If you want your experience to be defined by academic and job-related success, that’s also fine. The experience isn’t prescribed for you with steps on how to achieve the perfect four years of your life. You get to do whatever you want in the next four years, so go out and do whatever you want! Go make the most out of it and do what you truly want to be doing, because only you can define what your college experience will be like.
