They say that college is a whole different world and nothing like what you expect. And they would be right. The second I stepped foot onto Clemson University's campus, my whole life turned upside down, and through the ups and downs of freshmen year here are the 15 most important things I've learned since starting college.
1. Let go of toxic relationships.
This is something that I definitely failed to do my first semester, but once I did, I've never been happier. I'm not saying you should ditch all your high school friends as soon as you get to college, but you should definitely take a second to evaluate which relationships you want to take the time to invest in, some of them are really not worth it.
2. High school drama really didn't matter as much as you thought it did.
At the time high school definitely feels like the end all be all, but it really isn't. Once you get to college, high school turns into ancient history. All those things you thought were the end of the world suddenly become irrelevant.
3. Your family is there for you no matter what and you should never take them for granted.
I never realized how much I truly loved and appreciated my family until I had to move 8 hours away from them. Never take them for granted. Ever.
4. Be yourself.
This is sort of self-explanatory, but incredibly important. College is a time when you finally have the chance to experiment with different passions and personalities. Figure out what makes you happy and the rest will fall in place. Don't ever pretend to be someone you're not to please someone else if they don't like you for you, they're not worth your time.
5.Everyone goes through their own struggles, no one has it all together.
Keep this in mind before you think about saying something hurtful, you never know what someone else is going through.
6. It is better to have a few really close friends than a ton of friends who you can't count on.
Honestly, what is the point of having friends if they won't be there for you when you're at your worst? The people who have seen you bawl your eyes out on a bad day, who have heard you bitch about an impossible class, and who know your darkest secrets are the ones who are going to become your bridesmaids at your wedding and stay in your life permanently.
7. Crying is acceptable, encouraged even.
You WILL do your fair share of crying in college, mark my words. And you know what? That's okay. Bottling up your emotions is not healthy anyways. Crying gives you a chance to relieve some of the stress and emotions you've been battling with recently, and when the tears stop you will feel more refreshed and ready to take on the world than ever. So cry away, love.
8. Exposing yourself to new people and ideas can have a positive impact on your mindset.
Have your own opinions, yes, but make sure to listen to others point of view. You might learn something new or change your mind about a certain topic.
9. Don't judge anyone too quickly, they could end up being your best friend.
This can be hard to do since, as humans, we judge one another naturally. I won't say abstain from all judgments, just don't act on them before you truly get to know a person.
10. Don't compare yourself to others.
Nowadays, social media makes it almost impossible not to compare yourself to others, but don't take what you see on Instagram or Twitter so seriously, they only show the highlights of a persons' life, and that's not real. As soon as you learn to accept yourself for who you are, you will be so much happier.
11. You don't remember the nights you stayed in and studied, you remember the nights you had a new adventure.
Take some chances, try something new. It'll make a great story one day.
12. You are in control of your life, you have the power to choose what path you go down.
You don't realize the truth behind this statement until you're on your own and facing real life decisions. You only have one life, what do you want to do with it? It's up to you.
13. Turn your negative experiences into positive ones.
I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. There are highs and lows in life. The highs are great, but the lows are important too. They are what teach you to be strong, to persevere, and to go after what you want.
14. Happiness is subjective.
Don't try to be someone else's definition of happy, if you do you will never truly be satisfied.
15. It's okay to be a little selfish sometimes.
Yes, I said it. Be selfish. Take charge of your life and do what's best for you, mentally, physically, and emotionally. If you don't put yourself first you can't ever hope to help others.
