It was a short 9 months ago that I entered my freshman year of college, and while I knew it was going to be “one of the best years of my life” like everyone had told me, I had no idea what was in store for the coming year. All I knew was that I was nervous and excited at the same time.
Freshman year taught me a lot of things I didn’t quite know before, and I am so grateful for the experiences I have since had this past school year.
The number of things I have taken away from this year is infinite, but what stands out the most to me is that I have learned...
1. To always go along for the ride.
Even if you don’t have a reason to go, being goofy with your friends while blasting music in the car is a big enough reason to join when somebody needs to run errands. Life’s about the journey, not the destination. While I might not know it now, I have a feeling that these are some of the moments I’m going to miss the most.
2. You have to step outside of your comfort zone in order to grow.
College is nerve wracking. You’re going to a campus much larger than one you’ve ever attended before with very few familiar faces – if any at all. All of a sudden you are expected to live without your parents and do the whole independence thing. It isn’t easy to put yourself out there, but the rewards are worth it. Meeting new people and having to rely on yourself can be scary. You have to remember that you aren’t alone in any situation. This is new for everybody, and while people might not always show it, they have times where they are uncertain and nervous too.
3. To not take things too seriously.
I’ve learned that if you don’t do too well on a test or a paper you can’t be hard on yourself. There’s no reason to worry because there will ALWAYS be another one coming up. Sigh. What matters is putting your best foot forward in every situation and to try and do better next time. Life is too short to stress about every little thing, and years from now, you won’t remember the papers you wrote but the memories you made with the people around you.
4. Some people just aren't very nice.
One of the biggest things I have had to learn this year is that some people simply aren’t nice. You can be as kind to some people as you want, but they just might not have the time to be nice to you. It is important to be grateful for those people. College has taught me how to deal with situations I haven’t come across before and the importance of picking and choosing your battles. While college is in many ways, like a wonderland, it is a step closer into the real world. In the real world, not everybody is as kind as you would hope for them to be and that's the reality of it. I'm thankful I am learning how to deal with those people right now because it's inevitable I'll deal with similar situations in the future.
5. College has some of the greatest people you will ever meet.
On one hand, there are some people who aren’t so nice. On the other hand, there is the majority of people who make up for it. Everybody here has a story and college has surrounded me with people who are entirely different from anybody I have ever met. Where I come from, a lot of people grow up living a relatively similar way of life. I have met so many diverse people in college and they have given me perspectives on life I never had before. Everybody is battling something different, but we are all here for the same reason. It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I have only known these people for a brief amount of time, but now I couldn’t imagine life without them. Because of these people I have grown as a person in more ways than one, and I’m so grateful school has brought me to them. Nobody is here to judge you. They’re here to make friends, get an education and have a blast. People aren't kidding when they say you meet your lifelong friends in college.
6. There's no place like home.
It isn’t until you are away from home that you realize how much you appreciate the little things. From your town to your best friends, your dog, and a home cooked meal, home has qualities college simply doesn’t have. There’s no place like home and once you’re back it’s like you haven’t missed a beat. There’s also no place like your own bed. Twin XL’s are rough.
7. Time flies when you're having fun.
To say this has been the quickest year of my life is an understatement. Throughout this year, there have been many ups and downs and I’m quickly learning that that is life. The people around me are what have made this year fly by, and the idea of graduating in three years is something I cannot wrap my mind around. I’m realizing how vital it is to savor every moment because it all goes by too quickly. I can’t thank the people around me enough for making college exactly where I want to be. I’ve always been told, time flies when you’re having fun. My freshman year is a great depiction of that. This has been a year full of firsts, and while I’m going to miss it, I can’t wait for all that is in store for the future.
8. I am still learning.
The final lesson that my freshman year has taught me, and possibly the most important one, is that I am still learning. There have been times in my life where I have thought I had a lot figured out, but what I’m realizing now as a college student, is that we’re a bunch of “adults” who have no idea what we're doing. I can’t say I know exactly where I want to be in ten years, or what I definitely want to do with my life. I don’t even know what I want for breakfast tomorrow. All I know is I am doing my best and am okay with figuring it out along the way. I’m learning that it is okay to make mistakes because they are what help us evolve into better people and they are how we learn. I’m learning in my classes, I’m learning from other people and most importantly I’m realizing that I never want to stop learning and that I never will.
