Follow your heart: the phrase that finds its way into seemingly good advice and sings its way into our favorite songs. It's the feel-good saying, motto of free spirits and empirical students alike.

But following your heart leads only to temporary joys because a deceitful heart sees only what is right in front of it. Selfish decisions often lead to the detriment of long-term goals because the future seems so far away. It's harder to make decisions that yield the long-term results that at the moment seem too distant in the future to worry about.

College is supposed to be the best time of your life, which has turned it into a selfish time. It's the first time you’re making decisions for yourself, by yourself. You're supposed to be enjoying every moment, so we give into any desire of our heart. To achieve our desires, hopes and dreams, we have been told to simply follow our hearts. We ask ourselves what we want to do, who we want to be friends with, and where we want to be.

But there’s so much more to the world than just you. Make friends with people who will make you a better person, not simply expand your social scene. Look for opportunities to love those around you instead of seeking acceptance from everyone you come across. Experience what exists outside of yourself and your own world and see the problems and struggles of those around you. Take on a different mindset of what you can do for others; with your major or future job, for your friends, and for those outside your comfort zone. Stepping outside of your comfort zone may not lead to the instant gratification we so often seek, but it is rewarding.

Following your heart may lead to happiness, but that is fleeting. Joy stems from something more, something deeper. And better yet, it lasts more than a fleeting moment. We aren't told to be selfless in college, but that needs to change.

In a few years, we'll emerge from a college bubble and realize not everybody cares about our happiness. Everyone is looking out for themselves. Instead of experiencing this shell-shock at being insulted or not instantly gratified for the first time, start this realization now. Your time, money, energy, and health are gifts, so continue giving instead of looking to just gain something.

Following your heart produced moments of temporary happiness but develops selfish habits. Find something more meaningful to pursue in life than a temporary happiness to become the person you want to be for the future.