Yesterday was my last first day as a student. I am not going to lie, it was emotional because I am starting to realize, this is real, I am really going to graduate and move on from this wondrous place I have called home for three years and leave all my friends as we go our separate ways. Looking back, there are a lot of good things I did that I can be proud of and there are things I wish I did or did differently. With move in day and first day of classes this week, I thought I would share some advice to all of the freshman who are just starting their journey and are unsure of their way.
My first piece of advice is please don't be afraid to put yourself out there. College is a fresh new place where no one knows who you are so if you didn't like the person you were in high school, then this is a perfect chance to reinvent yourself. Maybe you were too shy, or didn't join enough clubs, or didn't do the sport you wanted to try, or maybe you just didn't feel comfortable. Whatever the case, try stepping a little outside your comfort zone, you never know what could happen. One of my biggest regrets is that I was too shy as a freshman and sophomore. I had promised myself that I would be less shy when I went to college but I was too afraid to step outside of my comfort zone and missed out on some fun bonding activities that could have opened up my friendships even more. I did make some friends, but I wish I would have been as little more out there.
My next piece of advice is don't be afraid to embrace your feelings. You are human, and while yes in the long run college will most likely be the best four years of your life, not all of it is going to be good. You will be stressed to the point of a mental break down, you will fight with your friends and you might lose some friends along the way, you will question why you ever wanted to go to college in the first place, you will be scared to commit to a major or decide what you want to do when you are older, and this is all okay. Not everything is going to be perfect, and if you need help or advice there are people on campus like your friends or staff members that care about you and want to help. I always believe that everything happens for a reason and that good things will come, but you have to believe in it.
Lastly, make the most of your college experience because it goes fast. If you fail a test or quiz, don't dwell on your failure strive to study a little more for the next one. Go out and make friends,do something out of your comfort zone. Join some clubs. Have fun and make new memories so that when you get to your senior year you can be satisfied with what you have accomplished. While I may have some regrets, I am definitely happy with the way things turned out and I will leave here feeling satisfied.
