When coming to college, it’s like freshmen year of high school all over again. The fear of making friends haunts you as it did that day. But the one thing I learned from my high school experiences was to be yourself. The friends that you make in high school come and go, but the ones in college are the ones that last a lifetime. I noticed when I was home for Thanksgiving that there are only a select few people that I still talk to from high school. But college is where it is at. The friends that I have made so far at college are my family, and I wouldn’t change them out for anyone in the world. If I needed them to bail me out or get me orange juice because I was sick, they have my back. I can’t express how much I appreciate them and how much they have made my college life better. Just thinking of not having them makes me re-think of coming to college out in Clarion, instead of going somewhere closer to home.
But your college family is what makes college some of the best years of your life. Besides getting your degree, you develop communication skills that will become useful in the near future. You won’t be that socially awkward intern or co-worker, but one that can be relatable and easy to talk to. Your college family brings out the best in you and they support you just like your parents do. Every friend group has a mom and dad, which are usually the ones who take the initiative. They usually try to maintain positive and steer you in the right direction. Everyone needs someone like this in their life, just to be there to give you a swift kick in the butt and get your life on track. We are just there for each other time after time, even if we have our disagreements. No group is perfect. College is a time of personal growth, and the first time that most of us are living away from home. This can be tough because we have more responsibilities, and also homesickness hits hard.
Don’t take your friends for granted. Cherish them, and also remember your college days. They will be gone before you know it and now being a junior in college, I still can’t fathom that I have been through almost three full years of college. Time is very precious, so create memories that will last a life time, and also have your college family involved in your life in the future. Make sure they are at your wedding, Christmas parties, neighborly barbeques, and meet for drinks. They will always have a special place in your heart, and they are always just a phone call away. Keep in contact with them. Don’t let time pass you by. “OHANA means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten”--Stitch. Wise words coming from an alien posing as a dog.
