Before I even went away to college, hard to think that was years ago, as I approach my junior year, I always heard whispers of various individuals saying their college years were their glory days and easily the best years of their lives. With this being said, we expect so much out of our college experience and we go in with the highest standards and expectations with the hopes of achieving the ultimate four years.
With two years under my belt, I look back and think I finally get what everyone is talking about. Walking into my freshman year, naturally, I was filled with anxiety and angst in just about every situation I could put myself in.
Would I make friends?
Well, what about my roommate?
Will I survive my classes?
And the answer is yes to all of those questions.
Being in college and gaining this experience creates and gives us more knowledge about who we are and what we plan to do in our lives than any course or any person could ever tell us.
Going to Creighton University in Omaha, NE has brought me more happiness than I ever thought possible when it came to having the best college experience. However, it did come with trial and error, which is just a fact of our everyday lives. Although I do not admire the endless hills of cornfields while I’m passing through Iowa, the end result is more than worth the miles. I feel truly so lucky to have been marked with what I consider some of the best years of my life so far. But what is so important for everyone to understand is that you are in control of the life you life and you are the creator of your own happiness when it comes to your college experience.
Do not be afraid to shy away from your comfort zone and be open to meeting new people. The ultimate college experience does not necessarily mean going out every night, getting straight A’s, or having everyone on campus know your name. You get out what you put in and that is all there is to it. My first semester, I put a little bit in. I felt so devoted to my schoolwork and felt like I barely made time for much else, I was so involved with doing well and not giving myself a big enough break to step back and realize that I would soon find Creighton University to be one of my favorite places I have ever stepped foot.
Today, looking back on my experience and only being a junior I feel so happy at the place I am currently at in my life and in my college experience. Not only have I grown to be more spontaneous and live life just a little closer to the edge, but I have opened myself to new opportunities and things that normally my fear would push me away or I would find some excuse to condone staying in because I thought it was for the better of myself and of my academics.
However, I proved myself wrong and I am happy that I did.
Find people who encourage you to do maybe what may not always be the best but the most adventurous, surround yourself with individuals who bring out your extroversion and pull you up from your Netflix binge to go out on the town for the night. Go to sleep at 3 AM and wake up at 7:30 AM for your morning shift. Make endless runs to McDonald’s and Taco Bell, and of course for all my natives of CU Eat the Worm and Pepperjax, and do not be afraid to ask for the chipotle sauce for your Philly.
Sometimes we have to look past what we think is right, and honestly just say screw it especially when it comes to enjoying our time at college! These years we will never get back so what would it hurt to go out when you have a test the next day at 8am, surely every once in a while it won’t bite you in the butt too badly. It is ok to be irresponsible every blue moon and it is ok to accidentally hit the snooze too many times when waking up for your 8am. What is most important to remember is that you are in control of how you go about living and thriving these four years, and of course surviving (Starbucks may be necessary). If you are running low on cash, don’t fret because being a broke college student is the definition of being in college. You will look back on these years and never regret the extra cheeseburger you bought at 2AM, or the Uber you took downtown, and you will definitely never regret the memories you made while experiencing all of this, you will look back smile, and say man I wish I could do it again.
