June 2015:
Yours truly was a nervous wreck. I had just graduated high school and was gearing up to head to college. Um what? Is this really happening? I would ask myself that on the daily. I mean I remember being in middle school and going to my friend’s houses and their big brothers and big sisters were all in college. I remember thinking about how far away it seemed, like my time would never come. Well, I blinked and I was loading up the cars and driving to college. I was scared shitless when August rolled around.
October 2016
I am now a sophomore in college and I am easily the happiest I have ever been. It was daunting moving away from home. I was leaving what I knew, who I knew and especially my comfort zone. Growing up, my dad always pushed me outside my comfort zone. I am super grateful he did because it really helped prepare me for this inevitable step in my life. It taught me that change is good. Change makes you stronger. Being uncomfortable is healthy. If you stay inside your comfort zone forever, how are you supposed to grow? But this article isn’t about change or how rad my dad is…he is pretty rad though! It’s about saying a big “thank you” to college thus far. It has impacted me in more ways than I could ever count.
Dear College,
THANK YOU. Thank you, thank you, thank you! When I first got here my freshman year, I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know what this whole lifestyle change was going to do for me, or how it was going to impact me. I truly thought that saying “goodbye” to my parents after move-in day was going to DESTROY me. I thought I was going to be a basket case for a solid three weeks. But that wasn’t what happened. I was fine. It’s as simple as that. I was just fine. I just dove right in and rolled with the punches. And damn that is the way to do it. Getting involved and making an effort was a great decision on my part, but the fact that college was making it so easy to do so was incredible. High school was nothing like that. Throughout my time here so far I have learned so much about myself. Through amazing strangers who quickly became friends, intimidating chanting crowds of people who became my sisters and crazy experiences, I have gotten to know myself better than ever before. I think I tended to stifle myself in high school. I never really allowed myself to be 100% me. I often felt judged and alone, where now I feel embraced and loved. In high school, everyone wants to fit in and be the same. In college, everyone strives to be unique and stay true to who you are. I can’t believe how many wonderful experiences I have had in such a short amount of time. I’m thrilled to keep learning and growing as a person over these next 2 ½ years at a place where I can be unapologetically me.
Thank you college. Thank you Chapman.
xx
Brayden
