If you’re anything like me then college has always been something so far off in the distance and you never really pictured yourself as a real-life college student. As senior year approached, I applied to different places and went on college tours but it never truly sunk in that the next few years of my life were going to be completely different.
The University of Alabama had been my dream school ever since I could say “roll tide,” and being here is a literal dream come true. I never felt out of place in high school but college has always been the one thing I could not wait for. I always looked at my friends' social media accounts who had graduated and gone off to college and thought “wow they are living their best life.”
Now as an actual college student, I can say that college is definitely a 50/50 mix of “this is the best day of my life” and “I really don't think I’m going to make it through today.” But even as I sit in lectures, walk to my sorority house, or hang out in my dorm I never really grasp that fact that I’m that college kid I always looked up to.
My first few weeks felt like I was at summer camp and my parents were going to come and pick me up any day soon. I’d walk to class and feel like I was in a movie. When you walk past the beautiful engineering quad or step into your sorority house it becomes so overwhelming that you are not sure how to take everything in. My first fraternity party all I could do was look around and laugh. (Yes, fraternity parties are just like every college movie ever... maybe even crazier!)
My first few weeks turned into my first few months and when I look back I feel like I was actually a character in my own movie. I never really soaked in all the crazy memories or appreciated everything.
So now when I walk around I make sure I smell the all the roses (or the beer). Every time I walk past Denny Chimes I literally stop and think “holy crap I’m really doing this whole college thing.” It’s so crazy to think of all the things I did to get myself where I am now and that this is my future.
My advice to incoming freshman would be to get a grip on reality as soon as you can. Take in all your college firsts and live every day to fullest. This is your time to make mistakes and find out who you are. No matter what’s going on or what you’re going through stop and think that you are living your best life!