It’s that time of the year again. Most, if not all, of college admissions letters or emails have been sent out and now it is coming down to May 1, Decision Day. It is so exciting knowing that you are about to embark on a new journey in this next phase of your life. In the next four years you will start growing into the person you are meant to be, find your passion, and gain invaluable friendships. This is what is known as the ultimate college experience, however, it will not just happen to you. Just because you now go to college does not guarantee you will have these experiences. It is something that is earned by actively seeking it out.
But Drew, what do you mean by “actively seeking it out”? Good question, incoming college student.
Step 1: It means get involved!
The word ‘actively’ in this sense is characterized by energetic work and participation. It is absolutely imperative that you participate in some way, shape or form at your school. The difference between an average college experience and a phenomenal one is finding a community within your school that you belong to. For me, it is my sorority. They build me up, keep me sane, and have similar values to me. For others it may be their Quidditch club or their co-ed dorm floor or the volleyball team. Whether it be intramural, club, or varsity sports, is of no importance. What matters is that you surround yourself with like-minded individuals with goals and aspirations similar to yours, that will encourage you to follow your heart and stand by you while you try new things. If you are not involved in a community, it is easy to feel disconnected and isolated from the world around you, which may cause you to think your choice of school was not the right one. Do not let this happen to you! Your first year of college is exactly what you make it, so whether you love it or hate it is entirely up to you.
Step 2: Once you have found your crew, it is vital that you find balance.
Yes, you go to college for the academics, however, sitting in the library twelve hours a day by yourself is not the college experience. Your parents might believe otherwise, but I am here to tell you they are wrong, academics are not everything. There is social growth to be done in college and that only happens if you put yourself outside of your comfort zone and meet new people. That being said, college costs are an arm and a leg, you should be personally motivated by that fact to try as hard as possible to be successful in school. If you think you can go to college to exclusively party, because that’s what I’m Shmacked has made it seem like that is how to college effectively, you are horribly mistaken. At graduation, you will have gained nothing but alcoholism and missed the entire point of your college experience, which is finding out what you are genuinely interested in and start the process of growing into who you want to be. If you are an an athlete, make sure you find social balance as well. College teaches you that life is one big balancing act, and if you do it right, then the reward is being genuinely happy, which sounds super cheesy, but it is true.
So, to all of you incoming college students, congratulations! You are about to enter into what has the potential to be the most awesome phase of your life. Make sure you take advantage of it with an easy two step process: get involved and find balance.
