Your College Experience is in Your Hands

Written by Carol Wright

When I first started college, I had a vague sense of what to expect. 

Yes, my family and my high school prepared me for the academic side of things, but no one prepared me for how daunting college can seem. Once you’re in a new city and you embark on this four-year journey that will culminate in fingers crossed a job that then sets you on the course for adulthood, college becomes overwhelming to say the least. There were moments where I felt as though I had no control over things, but I realize now that I was wrong. One of the biggest lessons I ended up learning after four years at school is that one of the only things you are in control of during college is the experience you have.

Photo by Godisable Jacob from Pexels

Shaping Your Social Experience 

As a college student it can be easy to feel as though you need to re-invent yourself or become someone you’re not to fit in, especially freshman year, but none of that is necessary. Yes, you can change throughout the semester because college is a time for growth but becoming someone you’re not is a path that only leads to you becoming miserable. My favorite college experiences have come from me doing things I love and not being pressured into doing things I know I don’t enjoy. After years of watching movies where college students are only drinking or partying it can be difficult to retrain your brain to understand that college is much more than that. I promise all you have to do is leave your campus and explore the place you’ll be calling home for the next four years to realize that the possibilities for fun are endless.  

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Shaping Your Academic Experience

When it comes to shaping your college experience a key part of that is studying a topic you’re passionate about. College lasts four years and if you go into class each day unenthused and uninterested in what you’re learning then it will seem like the longest four years of your life. Before declaring your major make sure there are not outside factors influencing your choices. Whether that’s your family members or your friends. Pursue a major that you love because college should be about exploring your interests.

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College has the potential to be some of the best four years of your life and you owe it to yourself to create the experience that will make you happy. Don’t ever forget that.