It's hard to picture your life 10 years from now, or even five years from now. Maybe you're traveling the world. Maybe you're married with kids. Maybe you're teaching English in the classroom of your dreams. There's a lot that your anxious, planning self probably wants to hear and questions that you want answered. How are things going? What am I doing now? What does my life look like after college? Well I can't tell you all of that, I mean it would ruin the excitement of figuring it all out on your own, but I can give you some advice. It might not be what you want to hear, but man it will come in handy.
1. Pick your friends wisely.
You become most like the five people you spend your time with, so choose wisely. These friends will help you through the darkest times, they will keep you sane, they will be your go-to people and your support system. Remember those friends that you see every day and those who you don't, they all play a huge role in your life. Check in with them and listen to their stories as well, true friendships aren't one sided. These friends will potentially be your bridesmaids, your vacation buddies, your future roommates or your weekly coffee dates. Make time for them even in the craziness of college.
2. You will struggle.
Simple as that. Life isn't easy and you will have struggles, but I'm here to tell you that you've made it this far, so don't quit now. Use that support system you have with your friends, don't try and hide your struggles because it only pushes people further away. That also means don't push the struggles to the wayside and decide that they don't matter, because they do. Hiding them only makes it worse. It's okay to talk to someone, preferably a professional someone. They are there to help. It takes two to do something, two fingers to snap, two hands to break a stick and two people to work out an issue, talk to someone. Don't be afraid to reach out of your comfort zone to work out your struggles. As cliché
as it sounds, your struggles are what make you and what make you stronger. Be thankful, but take the time to work through them.3. Grades last.
But so do memories. You're in college, have fun, be spontaneous, take time to make memories that will last a lifetime. It's easy to let your grades get the most of you (and I'm not saying you should flunk out by any means), but you have to break up the monotony of school with a couple breaks now and then. Go on hikes, go on a run (or walk), sit outside and hammock, or maybe even go sit at a coffee shop and people watch. Whatever it is, do it. Make memories, there's plenty of time to work on school work too, I promise.
4. Go back home.
Your weekends get so hectic with everything that is going on in college, but don't forget the people who helped get you there. Take a weekend to go home, or even just a day. Have a coffee date with your mom, watch the news with your dad, try to get your brother to stop playing video games for two minutes, and if that doesn't work, join him. You miss out on so much when you're living in a different city, so make the time to catch up. Oh, and don't forget those nice home cooked meals you miss out on in college and be sure to stock up when you're back.
5. Be honest and be yourself.
Being honest can get you so many more places than not. In all honesty, telling the truth can be hard, but the aftermath will be 100 times better than trying to cover up a lie. It's much more emotionally draining to pretend that nothing is wrong versus telling people what really happened. Be honest with yourself and with others, don't try to lie about who you are to prove yourself to someone. If you have to change yourself to get the attention of someone or something, it's not worth your time. You are loved just the way you are and were made that way for a reason, don't doubt that.
6. I know you're a planner, but hold up.
Planning is great and all, but you can't control everything. It's physically impossible. You'll get married when it's time, you'll find an amazing job, you'll move where ever works best for that time in your life. You can only plan so much, but then you just have to let go and let God. It's definitely easier said than done and you might hate it sometimes, but man oh man it'll be worth it. As long as you put your heart into everything you do, make time for those who matter and never give up, you'll be right where you need to be.
I wish I could tell you right were you'll be five years from now, but where's the fun in that? Life's about figuring out everything for yourself and learning lessons in the process. Life's a journey and it's a wonderful one, so don't give up. Even though you might be struggling now or missing out on big milestones back home, everything you're experiencing now is going to pay off. So choose wisely, make time for people you love and be yourself. Everything else will fall into place.
