"What do you wish someone would have told you before your first year at Miami?"
I was recently posed with this question in lieu of the incoming class beginning their orientation, and I realized just how many things I didn’t know when I started college. To those of you about to embark on your college journey -- here are four things I wish someone would have told me.
1. You'll appreciate your friends more than ever before.
So you’ve spent the last four years of high school getting closer with your best friends and now the dreaded time has come- you’re all about to be separated. Some of you may be going to the same school, some of you may be spread across the country. You’ll all promise to keep in touch and stay close but the truth is, college is hard, college is stressful and most importantly, college is new. It is a brand new place full of new people and experiences. You’re going to make best friends at school and you have to know that it’s okay! Your friends from home are going to do the exact same thing, and your relationships with them will change. You may not talk every single day like you’re used to, but they’ll always be there for that 2 a.m. call when you’re crying over a breakup and just miss home. It’s hard to leave your friends, but let me tell you, there is nothing better than that first summer night on your best friend’s couch watching movies and stuffing your faces.
2. It’s okay to not have everything figured out.
You may feel pressured to have every little detail of your future worked out the second you step on campus, but it’s okay if you don’t. It’s okay if you have no idea what you want to do, and it’s okay if you change your mind a thousand times until you get it right. After all, you’re going to school to prepare for the rest of your life and you deserve to love what you do. So what if you want to be a doctor one morning and a preschool teacher the next, it’s okay. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
3. Get involved.
As cliché as it is, getting involved on campus was the best decision I have made since I started at Miami. In high school I was never one to get involved in groups or clubs and I didn’t have any plans to change that once I started college. However, I attended Mega Fair (where all of the clubs on campus set up booths for students to check them out -- Miami happens to call it Mega Fair), and seriously you should check it out. I had no idea how many different organizations there were here, and when they say there’s something for everyone they aren’t kidding. The organization I joined is called 4 Paws for Ability and it has changed my life in so many ways. I’ve not only made great friends and learned so much, but I’ve established a place within the Miami community that I didn’t feel I had before. Get involved in organizations, drag your friends to craft nights on campus, go to all of the free movies and festivals you have -- I promise it’s worth it.
4. You can do it.
As I said before, college is hard, and not only academically. It’s a huge life transition, and it can be very overwhelming at times. I can’t tell you the number of times in the last two years that I’ve knocked my papers off my desk, slammed my laptop shut and declared that I was dropping out of school. Trust me, you’ll say it more than once. The important thing is, each time I was done being dramatic I picked my stuff back up and got back to work. Each and every one of you are here for a reason, you’ve worked hard to get where you are and you have what it takes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help- my first day on campus I was a typical freshman and I asked for directions from just about anyone who would look my way. The crazy thing is, people are more than willing to help you if you’ll just ask! Also, just because you might not live with them anymore, you can always rely on your family. You’re never too old to call your mom (hey becoming an adult is hard) and trust me when I say she’ll appreciate the call. College may knock you down a few times, but you'll always come back stronger.
In the end, college is a huge stressful, overwhelming, crazy step in life, but it will be the best four years of your life.
