There I was, the first day of college and I was already cooped up in my dorm, looking out the window at all of the students below me. Big groups of new college freshmen laughing and having a good time while I was curled up in a blanket in my tiny twin bed, texting my hometown friends, asking them if it was too soon to pay them a visit. I hated my first semester of college. I had been impatiently waiting for my college career to begin since I was in high school. I envisioned myself making friends from the beginning, going to parties and tailgating on the weekends, but my experience was far from that. For the first few months, my days consisted of going to class, heading to my dorm straight after to do my homework and eating dinner (by myself most days if my roommate was unavailable).
The worst part about it was that I blamed everything on my college. I thought that since I went to a school in south Georgia with all of the preppy kids who all cared about partying, Greek life and football more than their education, it was keeping me from being my true free-spirited self. I barely made any solid friendships and I didn't get involved in anything. Instead of trying to get more involved, I made excuses. Join clubs? No, they don't have any that suit my interests. Join a sorority? No, that's just not me. Say yes when people ask you to go out? No, I don't feel like it tonight. By November of my first semester, I had all the paperwork ready to transfer to another college.
Then, one night changed everything. My roommate, some of our other friends and I went on a trip out to a town close by. We had so much fun, and I had the realization that it wasn't my school that wasn't living up to my expectations -- it was me. If I wanted things to go as I planned, then I had to make it happen on my own. I couldn't wait around for good things to fall into my hands. I canceled my transcripts being sent to the other school, and I went full-force at my current college.
In January, I joined a sorority, which led me to some of the most amazing friends I could ask for. If someone asked me to go out of the weekends or even during the week, I said yes. I put myself out there and pulled myself out of my comfort zone. Now I go to the parties, the football games, joined Greek life and made an incredible and exciting life for myself. After realizing that making my college experience better was all in my hands, I now love my college and refer to it as my second home. My advice to all is that you are in control of your own life. Don't expect things to always go as planned. If you want something to change, then it is up to you to change it.
