Even though I am a Leo, I don’t like to be the center of attention. So during my three years at college, I have observed a lot about how people my age function. I have also learned a lot about myself through each semester’s good times and challenges. The three lessons in this article are a collection of realizations that once I realized are true, I keep them in the back of my head at all times.
1. Find a balance.
In college, you need to meet new friends, live with roommates, and be involved in campus organizations all while trying to maintain good grades and feel happy. It gets very overwhelming very quickly. Then we all hit that point in the semester where it feels like you have 1,001 different things you need to get done and there’s no time to breathe before everything needs to be finished.
It’s going to happen. But here comes the advice that no one wants to hear: do not wait until hours before something is due to do it. Procrastinating is an art form for college students, but it feels so good to get things done and crossed off your to-do list. When you complete your responsibilities and have time to do whatever you want to do, it feels like a ton of bricks has been lifted off your shoulders and you can take on the world.
2. School is important, but it’s not everything.
The bottom line is, we are in college to graduate and get a job. But during junior year it hit me that I only have a very limited time left to be in college. The years went by fast and now I’m approaching the finish line.
What I’m trying to say is that we all stress so much about our grades but to me, college is about the experience, not the G.P.A. You learn so much about new kinds of people, about yourself, and about how the real world works. Live it up while you still are a stupid college kid, because soon you’ll get a wake-up call after graduation.
3. People will either like you, or they won’t.
You will know automatically if someone likes you, or they have something against you. You just sense their vibes: either they're chatting with you nonstop, or they haven’t said a word to you but feel like there’s tension between you two for some reason.
What I have learned is that we all give off an energy and vibes. Some people match them, and other people clash with them.There isn’t a quick fix to make more people like you or want to be friends with you.
I’ve realized that is a hard pill for some people to swallow, but let me stress this: You will meet people who just do not like you. It’s nothing that you’ve done. You cannot and should not change your true self.