With the start of August comes the impending school year. This year, millions of students will be starting their freshman year of college - an exciting, yet scary experience. Freshman year of college is the year of the most change. You truly grow as a student and an individual, and when it ends, you'll be a completely different person.
When younger adults ask me about college, I always tell them that it's an experience unlike any other. But don't be fooled, because college is no easy ride.
The truth of the matter is, college is hard.
You're suddenly in a world where you have to take care of yourself and fend for yourself. For some, this may be easy. For others, it takes them completely by surprise. You'll most likely find yourself stressed, tired, hungover, missing your mom, missing your friends, and wishing that you could be back in high school, all while having three essays due by 11:59 on a Friday night. This is not meant to be discouraging, and I'm by no means trying to scare you. Your feelings are valid and real, but I promise that it'll get better.
While college brings a couple of negatives, it also brings a multitude of positives.
In your times of hardship, you can either let it break you, or you can realize how strong you are. My advice to you is to recognize your strength. Have productive days. Study for your exams. Make friends with the people in your classes. Try something you've never done before. Play spin the bottle with a stranger. This is your time to make mistakes and learn from them. This is your time to rise above your fears.
It's okay to cry because it's finals week and you still don't know what to do with your life. It's okay to be unsure about your future. It's also okay to be excited about your future. It's okay to change your mind (and your major).
It's okay!
The growth and friendships that you make are everlasting. Your make friends because you like them, not because you feel forced to, like how it is in high school. All of the things you worried about in high school will no longer matter in college, because everyone just does their own thing and worries about themselves.
I wish all of you the best of luck in college. The growth is scary, but welcome it rather than fight it, because whoever said that college is the 'best years of your life' wasn't kidding.
