To begin, I want to say that I recognize that the college experience will not look the same for everyone, and for many, college in general is not where life has taken them. My series is framed by my college experience; however, I aim to bring up other topics that can resonate with a diverse audience throughout the rest of my posts.
To the 18-19 year old entering college, your possibilities are endless. You have survived the high school roller coaster of AP classes, cliques, the SAT and college applications. Now you have achieved (for many) the biggest goal you’ve set thus far. In your most recent environment, you were at the top of the food chain and that may give you a sense of self-confidence. Hold on to that because you will need it as it will be tested in college. Maybe you know what you want to major in and maybe you don’t, but as short as college is, you have time. You’re leaving the nest and you’re ready to spread your wings and fly. As a good luck letter to you, let me outline what I have learned that college is and what it merely seems to be.
College is a foreign land. Even if you go to school near your hometown, I promise there is so many new opportunities waiting for you there. It’s a place to meet whoever you want. It’s a place for you to discover that you don’t really know who you are and what you want yet, even though you think you did coming in. It’s a place where professors really care about their subject and want to see you succeed (in most cases). It’s a place for you to join every club in your first semester and find out that you only care about one or two of them. And for me, it became my home away from home.
I have loved college. I am hesitant to call it the best four years of my life, because what’s next for me then? But to date, it has been my favorite chapter. That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a snakey undercover agent at times. You come in wide-eyed and bushy tailed because college seems like freedom, fun and the beginning of adulthood.
Here's a picture of me and my freshman roommate who I am still living with as a senior. It was our first weekend at UNC and after attending convocation we came out of the gym to see a rainbow. It felt like a sign from above for the next four years ahead of us. Something about this picture makes me laugh. I look back and think “if only you fetuses knew what was coming.”
College seems like it wants to give everyone the opportunity to be educated and succeed in life. But it’s not a perfect system. There are scandals, classes that are notorious for failing students, water outages where you can’t drink from the fountain or shower and lots of subjectivity of who is “succeeding” and who is not. Colleges shout to the world that they are inclusive and diverse. But really if you look at the parts that make the whole, there is a lot left to be wanted.
Don’t give college the expectation that it will set your path straight to success and happiness, because that’s too high of an expectation and any institution will always fail to fulfill that. Don’t give it the power to affect your mental health, make you question life and make you want to just quit everything. College is much simpler than it seems initially. I don’t think college is what determines how the next chapter plays out for you. I think what matters is that you find who you are, your worth, your beliefs and what you’re passionate about. Then, you can use college to propel you forward. Don’t let it use you as just another soul passing through to boost its acclaim.
“Pick your friends. Don’t let them pick you.” -My grandpa
I really value this advice till this day. Don’t reciprocate just to fit in. Find good people to surround yourself with because they will make all the difference and alter the course of your college experience.
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