College. Whether it be your undergraduate or graduate degree you're knee-deep in books for, we're told these are the years that we'll remember. Along with taking around nine to 15 credit hours a semester, probably juggling a job and an organization or two, we're trying to figure out just how we're going to pay off the debts from the tuition we're paying. And no matter the major, I've found that the experience of college has a few free lessons thrown in throughout our course loads.
1. Meet Your Second Family
Aside from that degree you're longing to complete, the best experiences of college revolve around the friends you make while you're there. Perhaps they've been far and few, but I'm sure many of us have had moments of thinking about picking our own family members (while knowing full well we couldn't do anything without those people). Luckily for you, college has a few surprises in store for you, one of them being this opportunity you may have requested a couple of times. Campus is populated with so many people, and over time, some of them will become good friends of yours. You'll want to keep these people in a special place, because they're basically your new family at your home away from home. The big difference between these friends and your original family is the friends voluntarily stand next to you during the good, the bad and the ugly, whereas your original family is a little obligated to. These people are the biggest blessings from your college years, and they'll most likely be your biggest blessings after college, too. Treat these people better than they deserve, and you'll forever have your second family.
2. Something New is Good for You
I'm sure you've been given this advice from at least half of your relatives and a few dozen friends recruiting you to join whatever organization they're in so they can spend more time with you, but you should without a doubt get involved in college. Whether it be a sport, a Greek organization or some sort of club, this is one of the most beneficial steps you can take towards having a successful college career. Better yet, try something new and surprise yourself! College is all about the hidden opportunities and discovering those abilities you never thought you possessed. Those new abilities could lead you to new hobbies, new friends, or even a career path you find more fitting for yourself. Even if it doesn't work out, at least you know for sure! You gave it a try, and either way, you learned something new about yourself and a new activity.
3. Sleep is for the Weak
Your time in college is spent either studying until you're cross-eyed for that unnecessary gen-ed quiz or unexpected late nights with your friends. If you've found the right group, you can typically spend those unfortunate hours studying with your friends (of course you won't get anything productive done, but that's definitely okay). In either case, your sleep deprivation is absolutely worth it. No one wants to take those pesky required RA or QR courses, but if studying the night away makes that quiz an easy A, that's a bonus for you. As for nights with your friends, we all know those important people in our lives are worth sacrificing those Zs, even if it is a Tuesday night. Your college years will fly by right before your eyes, and 10 years from now, you won't remember how comfy your college bed was, but the great memories made while you "could've slept." So remember, sleep is for the weak and boring. Besides, that zombie disposition you'll have can quickly be cured by a few extra shots of espresso in your Starbucks.
4. The Importance of Yourself
The best person you will find in college is, well, yourself. You'll grow, you'll discover so many new opportunities, adventures, and start to put pieces together you didn't know were missing. However, throughout the journey we are all too often our own worst critics. We tear ourselves down, thinking we could've gotten higher GPAs that one rough semester or should've tried a little harder on that paper you did perfectly fine on in that class you couldn't understand the material in. Know your weaknesses and acknowledge your triumphs. Economics isn't for everyone, and the fact that you didn't drop it and believed in yourself to stick to it through the semester is an accomplishment all in itself. Furthermore, you have the ability to be your biggest supporter. Remember to be proud of yourself for your hard work, achievements, and meeting whatever goals you previously set! Don't let those struggles define you, but your successes, and only compare yourself to the person you grew from being yesterday.
