The summer after my senior year of high school was one of the most exciting times of my life. I was a high school graduate who would be attending an amazing university in the fall, and there always seemed to be something incredible around every corner. Now, as a sophomore in college, I often find myself reminiscing on the person I was back then. I was so young and naive and I had no idea what to expect about college life. I was so sure that school was my biggest priority; after all, my education was the reason that I was there. But I now understand that the most important things just can't be taught in a lecture hall.
Perhaps the first and most important lesson that I have learned is that we all need friends to lean on. I’ve had some pretty terrible, sometimes downright sloppy moments since I first started college. I’ve been through times when I thought the world was my enemy, and I was ready to throw in the towel and go home to my cats and my mom. But in those rough times, I looked to my friends for help and I knew that everything was going to be okay. These people are my home away from home and I couldn’t be more thankful to have them in my life.
I’ve also grown up a lot since I started my freshman year. I went from being awkward and embarrassingly annoying, to being someone that I am genuinely proud to be. I made new connections with some incredible people, and unfortunately, let go of things that were holding me back. These instances taught me an extremely valuable lesson: things really do change. Sure, some of these changes may have not turned out the way I anticipated, and I definitely got some cuts and bruises along the way, but I don’t regret a single decision that I have made or the outcome that followed. My choices have taken me to some pretty amazing places and have changed my life for the better. Simply put, the changes that I have made in my life have made me who I am today, and I’m proud of that.
Which leads me to my next point…
Life goes on. This is probably my favorite lesson that I have learned in college. Like I said before, everything changes and things aren’t always set in stone, but that's what makes life exciting and beautiful. We all go stumbling through life, making mistakes here and there, but when we do, life doesn't just stop in its tracks to wait for us to catch up. It keeps going and we have to have the courage to follow. And when it's all said and done, life has the tendency to turn our mistakes into something that is truly beautiful.
Looking back, its still blows my mind that I have learned this much about myself, and the world around me, in such a short time. In just a year and a half, I have come so far and I can't wait to see where the road ahead will take me next.
