Just a few months ago, I walked across the stage sporting the royal blue cap and gown, and received my high school diploma along with 419 other students in the class of 2020. We threw our caps, exchanged hugs and tears, and we were ready for the next chapter of our lives: College.
The idea of starting a new chapter in my life frightened me at first because I was just an 18-year-old girl who was going to be living in Miami in the next four years of my life. I didn't know any Spanish except the words "hello, bye, shoes, water, and grapes." I didn't even know how to do laundry. I was nervous heading to college because most of my friends were attending the same schools and even dorm together while I was headed to Miami alone, not knowing anyone.
But that's the best part of starting a new chapter. You get a fresh new beginning. You're not the same person as you were in high school anymore. You get to create a new name for yourself and be who you are without judgment. You get to decide what you want to do with your life from this moment on.
After completing my first official week of college, I'm glad that I opened up this new chapter in my life because I learned so much about myself and about the community around me. I met people from Miami, New York, Chicago, Peru, Cuba, Bahamas, Thailand, England, France, and even India. It was so refreshing knowing that there were other foreign students as well because back at home, everybody was from the USA and I didn't know a lot of foreign cultured people. And even though my home was five hours away, the people that I've talked to for hours or even seconds made me feel so welcomed and accepted and there's no better feeling in the world than that. They made Miami feel like home.
Although I tend to be an introverted person, I forced myself to step out of my comfort zone the past week and I don't regret any of it. Back at home, I always refused to play the guitar and sing in front of my family and friends but the first day in college, I played and sang in front of my roommate and a friend that I just met the other day. I volunteered myself to go up on stage and get hypnotized, willing to get embarrassed in front of a huge crowd. I donated blood for the first time even though blood and needles are NOT my thing. I would go up to random strangers and start conversations with them and leave having a new friend and number each time. I even ordered pizza on the phone instead of ordering it online and didn't freak out or mess up my order which was pretty cool and rewarding. Stepping out of your comfort zone is honestly the best thing you can ever do for yourself.
It's only the beginning of the new chapter and I'm already excited for my friends and our future. I can't wait to see what's in store for us because this is our time now. Cheers to the next four amazing years of our lives, 2020.
