Being the youngest of three I was always ahead of the game when it came to being clued in on the most important life lessons. "Go to school, get good grades, make smart decisions." And then there's the one that still makes me cringe just thinking about it, "Think twice when applying to colleges because remember, those are going to be the best four years of your life." Everyone will tell you your life peaks during your college years and that it's all down hill after that. SPOILER ALERT: that's not the case for everyone.
Every movie you watch about people in college is associated with a bunch of good looking people on a beautiful campus who never go to class and party "till the break of dawn [yo!]" My freshmen year wasn't much different. It consisted of going out Monday through Sunday, skipping my 8 a.m.'s to sleep in until 1 p.m. and choosing the pool over the library more than I should have. I instantly conformed to some sort of culture that had me believing these were "the best days of my life."
I came down with a severe case of FOMO and thought that I was missing out on these so called "best days" every time I had a school or family obligation holding me back. I thought that if I chose to skip a night out at the bar or a crazy dager then I "wasn't doing college right" and would regret my decision later on. Well here I am, nearly three years later telling you it's OK to stay in on the weekends or spend your afternoons hitting the books instead of a day drink. I learned college doesn't have to be about drinking every night or surrounding yourself by people 24/7. In fact, having some alone time can sometimes be the best thing for you in college. These four years are meant for you to discover who you are; to look back at the end of it all and see how much you've grown from being a rebellious little freshmen to a sophisticated senior who's [hopefully] ready for the real world.
I'm not saying you're "doing it wrong" if you spend your weekends out partying or if you choose to hangout with your friends a lot. What I'm getting at is that as for many things in life, it's all about balance. Everything is good in moderation.
To me, college is about self discovery. I've learned a lot about myself in the past three years. I've learned I'm more of a tea person than I am a coffee person. I learned I love to cook, but only when I have a dependable recipe. I'm horrible at long boarding, and I'll definitely never be a surfer. I now love to read whereas before college I never believed in reading "for fun." Three years ago I used to make bad decisions and hope for the best. Now I know to think twice (maybe three times...) before getting myself in an avoidable situation.
If you think of life after graduation as your final destination, then you'll miss out on all the great adventures ahead. Your life is just beginning. We all have different goals and dreams, and if you don't think you've done it all in college; that's OK. If you do everything now, what will you have to look forward to when you're older? Do what makes you happy in the moment and keep climbing. You haven't reached your peak yet.
