"Man, I love college." The actual education part might be stressful, the financial aid is even more of a headache, but college as a whole is amazing. In high school, I was, by far, the most uptight person; my only priority was my GPA. For some odd reason, in high school your GPA feels so defining, but in reality it meant nothing to my future. I wish I knew then what I know now because I never got to enjoy those four years of my life. On top of that, I grew up too fast – it was like I went from 15 to 35 years old in the blink of an eye.
These last four months have been, by far, the best months of my life. The day my dad dropped me off at college was the day I truly started enjoying life. Before I came to college, I paid my own phone bill and bought my own food, so I knew how expensive living "on my own" would be. That was never a problem. I had a job in high school, so working in college felt like the norm, even though it could be exhausting. At the end of the day, I’m okay with being a semi-adult since it comes with all of these perks.
I get to go to bed at any time, and not be questioned for it. I can literally come in at 4 a.m.! Who knew that not having a curfew was liberating? Also, being able to just get up at 10 p.m. and run to Taco Bell is the best thing on Earth. I go to class everyday, but having the option of not going is like living on the edge. Heck, even going to get my oil changed without adult help makes me feel like a real-life grown up.
Cafeteria food may not be a home cooked meal, but I've grown to love those french fries. I get sick way more often and, at times, it sucks not having anyone to take care of me, but it makes me stronger. I'm getting to make my own mistakes, and I've begun to learn from them on my own.
In college, you can be who you want to be. Literally, you walk around campus the first week and not know a soul. No one knows your age or name or where you're from, and visa versa.
If you were a snobby cheerleader in high school or you didn't make the best decisions, guess what? It doesn't matter, because in college, it is a fresh start. You can lie about who you were if you want because no one knows you! Embrace that. I encourage you to start over and be the best version of you possible.
You remember when people in college would say you’re only friends with people in high school because you got to see them everyday; they were not lying at all. I can literally count on both hands the number of people I talk to from my graduating class, and I’m perfectly okay with that. In college, you get to choose everyone you talk to, and it's just great. The people I’ve met in college are some of the most amazing people ever and I’m not even exaggerating. These people give life meaning, they’ve made me open my eyes up way more to this crazy world, and they make me realize that college is just the beginning.
Jonesboro may not the biggest place, and yes, it is still Arkansas, but deciding to go to a college that is not in my backyard is one decision I will never regret. I've just started living, so why not do it to the fullest?
