When you imagine college, you see 24/7 parties, crazy adventures and, oh yeah, learning. College is supposed to be a place full of exploration and trial and error. This is a time of change and evolution. Your college years are even infamously known as the “best four years of your life.” People dream of their college experience.
But what happens when your college experience doesn’t turn out how you expected?
When it comes to the meaning of college, it’s really all about learning. Funny, huh? College teaches more than just academics, though. In college, you learn how to let yourself go, how to take time to de-stress and gathering the courage try new things.
If you find your experience isn’t going the way you expected because you aren’t making friends and your Friday nights consist of Netflix and chilling…by yourself, don’t throw in the towel just yet. Everyone goes through a similar feeling at least once during their time in college. I had the most unspectacular freshman year I could’ve imagined. But I took time to self-reflect and tried something new.
Even though it took a while, by the fall semester of my sophomore year, everything took a turn in the best way possible. Rather than staying cooped up in my dorm, I made a lot more friends, I went out a lot more and I learned about myself and the person I’m becoming. Most importantly, I learned to let myself go.
I needed to get out of my head and stop overthinking every decision I made. I was in one of the most vibrant cities in America, and the only thing I had ever seen was Lenox Mall (trust me, it’s about as exciting as it sounds). What was I doing with my life? Why wasn’t I enjoying this freedom? How come I wasn’t exploring the big city? I couldn’t live this, so I dedicated my fall semester to trying new things with these two simple steps:
1. Explore new places
After finding the spot from a prior engagement, I went with my friends to a tunnel full of graffiti done by a local artist. With vibrant colors and words surrounding the walls, we enjoyed the scenery and atmosphere of the hidden treasure.
2. Be spontaneous
This past September, I saw Beyoncé after buying a ticket four hours before the show started–even though I had class the next morning. Maybe not the best idea, but taking these kinds of risks are worth it. I mean, Beyoncé is always worth the risk. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it’s something you won’t get the opportunity to do again. remember, this is college–your time to explore. Plus, adventures bring about the best stories.
Spontaneity keeps you on your toes. Changing your attitude to be less afraid of trying new things will change your perspective. As a college student, take time to remember that you should be having fun. Between the constant meetings, deadlines and projects, you have to sometimes temporarily ignore some responsibilities for the sake of your sanity. That doesn’t mean sleeping through your 8 a.m. calc class every morning. Always get your stuff done, but a little procrastination never hurt anyone.
