It seems as if it were just yesterday I was wandering campus, schedule and map in hand, trying to find my way around my new "home." Starting over was incredibly difficult for me. I was far away from home (nine hours to be exact), and I don't like change. Unlike some people, I loved high school and I loved my home life. I spent my time doing what I love with people I love—I couldn't have asked for a better high school experience. Saying goodbye to my friends, family and good food was so painful for me. I came to this school to follow my dreams and no matter how hard it was to adapt, I knew this was where I would be successful.
Everyone says that you'll be comfortable with college by November and that you will know where you're supposed to be. That is a total lie. I didn't feel comfortable until the week before I came home for Thanksgiving, and I was still unsure with it all the way through the end of January. I believe you have to wait out a full year to fully understand if your current school is where you should be. People advise against talking to your parents and friends from home, bringing your old high school apparel and even hanging up too many pictures. I don't believe that helps in any way. Reminiscing won't prevent you from creating a new life away at college. If talking to your best friend, and your parents help you get through the day like it did for me, don't listen to the ones who tell you to do otherwise. Everyone needs a strong support system to be happy wherever they are. Sometimes your original choice isn't the best fit- and that's OK! Talking to the people closest to you helps with those hard decisions. Transferring is not the worst thing—more people transfer schools than you realize. If you aren't happy with where you are, do not feel as if you have to stay. Starting over somewhere else might be scary but if you could possibly be happier in another place, isn't it worth it?
I couldn't have made it through the year without my friends here. Unfortunately, this past year had to have been the worst year I have had in such a long time. Besides the distance, there were many unfortunate events that made college even more difficult for me than it needed to be. I am so unbelievably thankful I was surrounded by such wonderful friends. I knew I would have a lot of schoolwork to do but I can't express how grateful I am that I decided to join clubs here. I met (most of) my friends here by joining clubs where we all share a common passion. My teammates were my shoulder(s) to cry on. They helped me through many difficult obstacles and put a smile on my face when I so desperately needed it. I couldn't imagine my life without them, and just going a few months for summer vacation without them will be hard. I can't wait to spend the next three years here with these incredible people.
People change—they move on. This year I learned to stand up for myself instead of letting myself get pushed around. I might speak my mind too often now but it's better than not at all. You don't need to have another person's approval or full attention. No matter who you are, you aren't disposable. You will lose friends and you will make new ones—and it's OK! Life goes on; you will be OK. Of course it's hard to lose friendships but everyone has to grow and create themselves. Maybe down the road you'll reconnect but you shouldn't let that take over your mindset and get you down. Focus on your happiness and positivity; you don't owe anyone anything.
(OK maybe you still owe someone $5—in that case, you owe them that much.)
In college, it is almost guaranteed you will sometime be disappointed, whether you didn't make a team, cast in a show or even received a poor grade on an exam you studied really hard for. Of course you'll be upset—it's a perfectly natural reaction. The most important thing is to pick yourself up and try again. One disappointment shouldn't knock you down or make you give up. You are doing what you do for a reason and your goal is ultimately to be successful. In high school, I would have let the disappointment take over, and I would just throw in the towel. Giving up should not be an option. Practice that dance routine a little more, stretch for 20 more minutes than you usually would, run that extra lap, study for an extra 20 minutes, watch a few less episodes on Netflix—do whatever you can to get where you should be. If you have a goal in mind, why not do whatever you can do to achieve it?
Always make sure you're comfortable in your own skin. You'll be surrounded by new people with different bodies, and it is so important to stay positive about how you look and how you feel. I'm not talking about making sure you have the right amount of makeup on, or how your hair looks that day. Chances are, there will be people who make you feel insecure about your body. It is always so upsetting to hear the words "fat" or "ugly" coming from people. Life shouldn't be about who's the skinniest person in the room. Please keep in mind that there's a difference between being "skinny" and being "fit" or "healthy." Always choose to be fit and healthy! If you aren't a size zero, who cares? You're a person, not a Barbie Doll.
There's also a pretty good chance you'll be surrounded by people who sound nothing like you. For me, I'm a Long Islander living in Western New York. Everywhere I go, I hear accents and chances are you will too, if you aren't attending school close to home. Just remember that from everyone else's point of view, you are the one with the accent. I spend my days with my friends saying "Snapchat" and "Hannah Montana" and all of us comparing accents. Hey, everyone's different!
Looking back at this year, it looks like I've changed quite a lot. I broke out of my shell and embraced the change I once was afraid of. College can be terrifying but if I have learned anything from this year, it's that we're only here for a short amount of time so make the most of every day!
