I just had my last first day of school. It was a day I knew was coming, but couldn’t actually picture happening. I couldn’t help but look back all day on my school career, especially in college, and think that soon, it will all be coming to an end. It’s a weird thought to wrap my head around; it causes me to reflect about all that I wish I knew when I entered college and all that I discovered along the way.
Don’t take high school with you.
I’ll be the first to say, I enjoyed high school. I had grown up with the same people my whole life and I was very involved with sports, student council, and the school newspaper. I wasn’t sure college was going to stack up to my high school experience so I tried to hold onto as many things that reminded me of my time in high school as I could. This caused me to not fully immerse myself in college at first and I didn’t fully open myself up to the experience. Looking back, I wish I would have given college a fair shot from the beginning because the moment I opened myself up to it, I was able to grow and create even better memories.
Join a club.
Do it, do it, do it. Each year I told myself I would join a club and I would even sign up for a couple at the info fair. My school is rich in fun, inclusive, and engaging clubs so there was no shortage of options. But each year, without fail, I would not follow through. If I could go back, I would have actually showed up to a meeting for one of the many clubs I signed up for because I would have met a bunch of new people who shared similar passions and interests as me.
Just because you can eat everything in the dining hall, doesn't mean you should.
Oh I wish I knew this when I entered college. The Freshman 15 is a real thing and when the dining hall has an unlimited amount of food at my disposal, it’s hard to keep that in perspective. It’s so easy to be enticed by the mac 'n cheese, the cheeseburgers, the salads, the burritos, the desserts and unfortunately, I had a hard time saying no to all of it. Once I moved out of the dorms, I was able to buckle down and make my healthier meals on my own.
Go to a professor’s office hours.
One of the biggest pieces of advice I received was that I should visit my professors’ office hours. That would give me the opportunity to build a bond with them and if I had any questions about an assignment, I would be able to talk to them one on one about it. When I was taking my general requirement courses, I rarely ever actually made it to any of my professors’ office hours because I didn’t always like asking for help. But once I got into my major, I actively searched out office hours because I wanted to really build those bonds with professors that I would continue to see.
Take this time to travel.
College is the perfect time to hit the road and see the world outside of the little college town. I’m happy I realized that. For me, I knew that right now, when I have no real responsibilities tying me down, was the ideal time for me to travel. I was able to spend part of my summer studying abroad in London and spend spring break driving down the West Coast. These two travel moments were some of my best college memories and I was only able to to embark on them because college was the perfect time for me to go.
Take advantage of networking opportunities.
It is never too early to start networking in college. Networking opens the doors to possible career and internship opportunities that just cannot be passed up. These opportunities were ones that I could not have even thought I would get when I came into college but I’m happy I have. Through networking events at my school, I have been able to meet alumni and potential future employers who have helped me with building my resume, professionalism, and feeling confident in my ability to excel in the workplace.
Be open to new opportunities.
The best memories of college came from me stepping outside of my comfort zone. When I entered college, I knew that I would be presented with new opportunities that would help me grow and allow me to experience new moments. But I never thought I would have the new opportunities that I did. Whether that was studying abroad, meeting new people, obtaining internships, or whatever, these opportunities have given me a better outlook on my future and allowed me to grow.
Finding yourself is a process.
I’d like to think that as of right now, at 21 years old, I know who I am. But I know that’s not true. College has been a time of trying to find out who I am and that whole journey is quite a process. I have had countless highs and lows that have made me question where I am and feel thankful for how far I’ve come. I’m still so young that figuring myself out doesn’t have to happen right now and my time in college has helped me realize this. Everyone around me is trying to figure out who they are as well and it’s not a bad thing that I’m not exactly where I want to be, yet.
