There are a variety of mindsets students come to college with. Some arrive shouting victory now that they are away from the parents and have the independence they could not practice back home. Some are ready to tackle on the new semester and are more than ready to get that GPA up to a 4.0. Or if you're like me, you are a ball of nerves and you just keep hoping for the best.

The way you view college is all about perception. Yes, it is difficult and you may question your journey and even your career choice(s) along the way. College is a rollercoaster of emotions and you don't realize how much this scholarly environment can impact your perspective on life until later on. You come across so many different individuals from every part of the globe, with distinct customs, ideas, opinions all alien to you.

Not only do you learn about philosophy, the proper structure of an essay, or about Ohm's law, you learn about yourself. You learn about your persistence, perhaps you discover the love you always avoided from expressing to your parents or siblings. You learn the importance of decision making and how crucial it is to attend your 9 AM lecture, and that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You learn to accept differences but always looking out for your well being.

If you participate in class, you learn about the way you express your thoughts and how you can learn from other students' perspectives. If you get so involved in conversations, you put pieces together and you create your own opinions. There is so much to do in college and though it seems there is little time, it is possible to let it change you for the better, there is a chance for you to create the change you want to see.

When all else seems to fail or not go your way, remember to never lose who you are or who you are in the process of becoming. When you allow yourself to be open change and to mess up, you learn and get better. Though it is important to attend school for a career, it is important to allow your character be molded in the process.

A career may fail you, but if you love yourself enough you will never fail yourself. Becoming aware of the issues you are surrounded by on a daily basis, stepping up to the plate and doing something about it leads us and others to greater and better things.

There are many mindsets coming into college and being surrounded by different people in a new environment allows us to flourish. College may seem unbearable at times but seize this opportunity. Take the time to think about what is it about the world that bothers you, what is it that you want to change? When you come to terms with this, it is only just the beginning.

Afterall, college is your oyster.