My College Experience (So Far)
College was everything I had ever dreamed it would be, but underwhelming at the same time.
I remember my first day on campus vividly, it was a fresh start full of new places and new people. I remember the first question I asked, and where I met my first friend.
I was so overly eager to dive into the next stage of my life that perhaps I was naive to believe my college experience would imitate that of a Netflix movie. Movies portray the freshman college experience as a glorious coming of age experience featuring wild fraternity parties, and endless opportunities to meet new friends. We have all seen these movies, but why have we watched them? Possibly for, nostalgia, comfort, relatability, or in my case to better understand how college would be. I wanted to lifehack my success and be 100% prepared for what was to come. Confidence is key and confidence comes from competence, I strived to learn as much knowledge that I could about what I was expecting. Even though the university I chose to attend was in a nearby town, I attended 2 different open houses and 3 separate campus visits, I realize now this is slightly excessive. I could not have chosen my post-secondary educational experience anywhere better, I attend my dream school and can’t imagine myself fitting in better elsewhere.
I was a late bloomer in high school and was determined not about to make the same mistake in college. I spent all four years fighting my way to the top and I was ready to stay there when I arrived at college. I had plans to become involved in every club I could, become friends with every person I met, and make the presidents list every semester. (I adjusted my plans later in the year)
For me, college was a breath of fresh air.
Highschool was very cliche in my experience, and everyone was caught up in their own drama. Everyone was worried about how they looked and what people thought of them. It was frankly annoying. Being surrounded by so many insecure and juvenile people, I almost lost my ambitions. I had to constantly fight the urge to alter myself and fit in, to be able to break free from these perceived social restrictions was a blessing. The university I attend is a private business only school, my classmates see the world very similar to how I see it.
My freshman year was filled with opportunities. At first, I did become a member of every club I could. I stuck with the most exciting ones throughout the year and dedicated myself to be extra involved and never miss a meeting. I attended some parties and ended the fall semester with a 3.9 GPA. I flirted with the chance at love a couple of times, kept the friends I made close and pushed myself into new uncomfortable experiences. I drove a brand new Mini Cooper 95 miles for an auto show, met blackbear (Bear) as a strutted across a runway with models, took a trip to Anaheim California for a business competition, had one or two close encounters with the police, and witnessed craziness at fraternity parties. I worked my ass off to get better grades than everyone else and devoted myself to working hard at my on-campus job. I felt very accomplished but something felt missing. Nevertheless, I pushed myself still into the spring semester. I went full gear into the clubs I was included in and focused on my academic life. In the end, I achieved everything I wanted and finished off strong socially and academically. I have much love all the people I met and the experiences I had.
The feeling that was missing was a lack of reflection and contentment among my accomplishments. If I could do things differently I would have relaxed and tried to enjoyed life moment by moment as much as I could. Life moves fast and the experiences are once in a lifetime, it is important to live in the present.
I think I created a vision of what college should be so perfect that anything would have been a letdown. No matter how many tasks I accomplished or friends I made I would have been disappointed. My path to overcome this in the future is to enjoy all the good things that happen to me as they happen, and keep realistic vs imaginary expectations in control. Experiences can not be forced, but if you let yourself be open and willing to try new things, excitement will find you. Stepping out of your comfort zone is the most crucial step to reaching your true potential and enjoying life.
The friends come and go but the memories are forever.
Each class, study group, party, hang out, or job is an opportunity to be the best self you can be. College is where you can figure out who you are and make mistakes along the way. I can’t comprehend all the times I’ve embarrassed myself in the past year. But it’s all good. Mistakes point us to something we did not know before.
Having attainable goals is important and I am full of them for my sophomore year. My main goal is to keep an eye on my long term goals and focus on the big picture. It’s vital not to get caught up in the little problems and petty drama that come up. As a person still trying to figure things out; looking at the bright side and seeing roadblocks as obstacles and not dead ends can have a big difference. I want to focus more of my time on my hobbies like my health and social media instead of solely on achieving academic success.
I’ve been told that I’ll make friends that will last a lifetime in college and I believe it. You’re five closest friends are the ones that will most shape who you are and how you see the world around you. I can say I have surrounded myself with like-minded passionate and motivated individuals who are going to make a difference.
My college experience so far has led me to learn so many new things about myself. I now know more about what kind of person I am and what kind of people I like to be surrounded by. I learned not to waste my time with activities that don’t bring me happiness and to only focus on others who make me feel energized instead of diminished. I feel stronger after my first year and know I can handle anything that comes my way. College should not be feared, it should be welcomed. I hope any reader who is overcome with nervousness about this new chapter in their life can relax and let it happen. The first year of college is eye-opening and should be spectacular. Do what you want and live with as little fear as possible.
