Over the years, you may or may not have heard the following piece of wisdom: "When you go off to college, you can change yourself and allow yourself to be the person you've always wanted to be."
There aren't going to be many people who know who you are when your parents drop you off. Once you graduate high school, you have the freedom to become whoever you want. It's your chance to start over, why not take it?
Did I personally decide to take this chance? No. And I'll tell you why.
When I came to college, I decided that I didn't want to change who I was to "fit in." I wanted to continue to be the girl I've always been. I have to admit, there are times when I ask myself, "Why didn't I change who I was?"
While I was in high school, I couldn't wait to come to college. At the time, I thought I would completely change myself. I just knew I would mold myself into a girl that everyone would love; no matter what that meant, I wanted to do it.
But then I got to thinking...
Why would I want to completely change myself and become someone who I'm not? Why would I want to wake up every day and put on some type of performance until it became a habit? I decided that wasn't the life I wanted to live. I decided I wanted my hometown friends, my family, and my boyfriend to still know me. I didn't want to come home and have them ask, "Who are you?" or "What's happened to you?"
I see SO many people who go off to college and completely change. They do a complete 360. They go from one extreme to the other. They become the person that has to go out every weekend or the person who has to hook up with someone new every weekend. I did not want that to be me.
Sure, I might grow as a person. My likes and dislikes might change. My favorite foods might change. But, I will always be me. In the end, I decided to be happy with who I was and who I am.
That was the best decision I've ever made.