College brings change. It may be some of the most transformative years you will ever go through. Students go through higher education courses that involve long research papers, late night studying and bits of procrastination. Some are athletes. Others find themselves at late night rehearsals. People find the social aspect difficult to adjust to, and the atmosphere is fraught with a sense of freedom. I changed a lot since high school graduation, four years ago, and college is what brought about that change. This is what I learned since freshman move-in day to graduation.
People are different from you.
Despite the clear self-explanatory nature of the statement, it is something I learned. People came from different backgrounds and lifestyles. I grew up in suburban, northern Virginia, while others grew up in the city, small towns or beach towns. People came from entirely different backgrounds than mine. Some friends grew up below the poverty line. Others lived fairly affluent lives. The stories that others had, they fascinated me because they varied from my own story. This discovery, you may find, will further expand your perspective.
The “college experience” is different for everyone.
Some of my friends would say that the college experience involves innumerable late nights in the library and countless cups of coffee during the day. A few of my other friends would say that the social aspect really defines what a college experience is, rather than the classes we took. Whatever the college experience is, it remains different for each and every person that goes through it. Partying and making memories with friends may be the defining moments for you, or it may be the awards you achieved from academic, athletic or artistic endeavors. Whichever it is, I hope you make (or made) your college experience a memorable one.
Don’t make temporary people your best friends.
I have seen friends give up their dreams and their livelihoods for undeserving people. Rather than encouraging you on your college journey, these are the people that only see themselves and what they can gain. Though we want to believe that people aren’t out for only their best interest, being picky with your friends may be a skill you learn in college. Your secrets, your dreams, your aspirations and your most coveted memories should be shared with those that care. They take the time to listen not with false fascination, but with enthusiasm and interest. Your happiness should be their happiness and vise versa.
These are not the best years of your life.
Despite what anyone else may say, no year is ever going to be the best. Instead, each year will be different. If you go to a four-year college, these years may be trying, hard and even unbearable. Even so, these years may also be wondrous and fantastical with enough fun memories to fill hundreds of scrapbooks. Still, years have a mix of both good and bad in them, but we move forward with each coming year, determined to make that year a memorable one. There is no peak. There is only change and running toward another goal.
These are only some of the things I learned, but they are important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Though I know I will forget some of the memories that are still fresh within my mind, I know that these college years impacted me more so than any year before. Still, with this in mind, it excites me that I still have so much more life left to live.
