Dear first year of college,
We couldn’t wait to ditch recess, snack time, and fractions. We looked forward to having lockers, five minutes of passing time between classes, and strutting our stuff in Hollister, American Eagle, and Abercrombie & Fitch. We couldn’t wait to turn 16 and drive, be treated with respect, and hold major life decisions in our own hands. In a blink of an eye we went through the motions of elementary, middle, and high school. Now we’re almost done with our first year of college, and frankly I have no idea where the time went.
It still feels like yesterday when I opened my acceptance letters and was given a decision that could potentially change the entire outcome of my life. And the anticipation and preparation that took place once I made my decision was the most overwhelming and exciting feeling of all time. The final weeks of high school flew by, but not as fast as the summer before college, where days were spent emotionally preparing for our goodbyes.
The past seven months have been filled with laughter and tears. The beginnings of new friendships and the endings of old ones. With coffee and all-nighters, and the occasional contemplation of dropping out to travel the world, time-management skills have been put to the test as well as adult-like skills we are so desperately trying to possess. The past seven months have been an experience of a lifetime to say the least. It’s really scary and still hard to believe that I’m almost done with my first year.
They say college is the best four years of your life. And even though everyone’s experience is a bit different, I think that is such an accurate statement. College is a time where you find out who you are, where you discover your passions, and where you attempt to find out where you want your life to go. College, in my opinion, is where you find your place in the world, which frankly is terrifying, but also really incredible.
I look at who I was as a person seven short months ago and first off have no idea where the time went, but also cannot believe all the growth I’ve done and all the experiences that have occurred. We’re getting older and we’re growing up and one day these four years are going to be great memories we get to share with our kids (whoa, that’s a really scary thought).
College has taught me that it’s okay to eat alone and to always want to be myself! College has taught me to look on the bright side and that I don’t necessarily need to spend $40 on that really cute shirt. College has taught me how much I hate doing laundry and that I really hope I can afford a maid. College has taught me to take every experience with a grain of salt, and that it’s okay to lower my expectations and give myself a much needed break.
Even though the past seven months have flown by and feel like such a blur, and I wouldn’t be opposed to time slowing down ever-so-slightly, I want to say how thankful I am. As my first year of college is quickly coming to an end, I’m so incredibly grateful for each and every experience I’ve been able to have, and all the growth that college has allowed for me to do in the past year.
Thank you college, thank you for a time well spent.
