College is hands down one of the biggest transitions that you will encounter in your life. On the morning when you pack your life up into your car and head off to your new home of the next four years and thinking you have all the answers, chances are, there is still a lot you don't know.
I wish I knew everyone was in the same boat as me.
Leaving behind the comfort of your home seems like a pretty simple thing to do. And the first few days are great; you're on top of the world and so excited for what these next four years will bring. Until that one night when it hits you; you feel like you aren't making any friends, you miss your family, and the time you had planned to go home for a visit seems too far away. On the nights that I felt alone and upset, I wish I knew that everyone else was going through the same thing I was. Nobody jumps into college life without missing home every now and then; you aren't the only one having a hard time. Your friends may seem like they are having a blast in their Instagram posts but behind closed doors, chances are they are feeling the same way you are.
I wish I knew that I won't find my best friends right away.
The first weekend of your college career will be full of "getting to know you" activities. You will meet so many new faces who will immediately try to befriend you. You'll exchange numbers, go to lunch together, hang out on weekends, until you suddenly don't talk to them again. And I wish I knew then that that is okay. It takes time to find your true friends in college. Great friendships aren't formed overnight. So take the time to get to know the people around you and talk to everyone. A simple "hello" could lead to a lifelong friendship if you just give it time.
I wish I knew that some days would be better than others.
In college, you will go through a streak of great days when everything is going your way. You're getting A's on all of your papers, your exams have been a piece of cake, and you're more on top of your work than you have ever been. Before I came to college, I wish I had prepared myself for the bad days, and the fact that they happen a lot more than you would think. Some days are going to be better than others; it's just a way of life. I wish I knew that reaching a low point is okay. I wish I knew that when it felt like I couldn't bring myself to write more paper or no way you can save my grade after getting a "C" on a midterm, that there would a light at the end of the tunnel. Whether it be a visit from a friend, a trip home for the weekend, or maybe just a free pizza on campus; something good will always find you at the end of a bad week
I wish I knew that I would lose touch with people I never thought I would.
One of the hardest things to come to terms with is the fact that your friend group from back home is no longer together. It's hard to see your friends putting up pictures of them having fun with their new friends while you don't really talk to each other anymore. You would never expect to lose touch with people you used to talk to all day everyday, but college is full of changes. It's important to keep putting in the effort because even if you don't get anything back, at least you know you put your best foot forward.
The most important that that I wish I knew before I came to college was how lucky I am to have these next four years ahead of me. And I wish I believed people when they said it goes by in the blink of an eye. The year is almost over and it seems like first semester started yesterday. So take it all in, live in the moment, and enjoy what your college career has in store for you.
