This is only the shortlist of the many things I have discovered about myself in the last four months. But, I'm so excited to discover more and hopefully do another one of these in the near future :)
I can do it
I can be self-sufficient. Going off to college is probably one of the biggest changes I will experience in my life, and it comes with the territory of adulthood. The months leading up all I felt was excitement and a yearning for freedom. However, on the four-hour car ride on move-in day, my stomach was in knots, I was the most nervous I had ever been, but after just spending one day here I knew college was the place for me.
I love being surrounded by people who motivate me to be my best self
I would consider myself a pretty sociable person, but the idea of essentially starting a new life in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people was still pretty daunting. I will confess that I got very lucky on the friends front. Very quickly, I found and continue to find people every day that make me excited to get up in the morning.
Despite loving the company of others I’m a secret introvert
I love being around people. In high school I usually never liked being alone. I was constantly texting people to hang out or get lunch or even just go for a drive. However, I have found that when you are able to essentially see your best friends all hours of the day except when you're in class and sleeping, some alone time is quite nice. Even for a half-hour during the day to recharge and breathe for a second can be very calming.
I LOVE making my own schedule
During course registration not only did I realize how strangely stressful it was, but also how much of a God-sent nova schedule builder is. I can — within reason — choose to have class at whatever time I want and however many classes I want on that day. And because of this on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I don't have class until 2:30.
Villanova is my second home
About two months into school I started noticing on Google maps that my home was now listed as Villanova University. This thought was crazy to me but the more I thought about it the more I realized it was true. Then one day I caught myself asking my friends if "anyone was home." That's when I knew.
I simply cannot avoid having a constant cold
I don't know if it's the cold weather, the dust in my room, my sucky immune system, or just being a college student, but I am just never 100 percent healthy. I really hope the warmer weather brings some magic healing power to me because man am I over this.
I’m on my computer WAY too much
Over winter break I found myself at the eye doctor getting a new prescription for my glasses because my eyes now suck even more. Up until the end of junior year of high school, I had 20/20 vision. Now, the prescription I got a little over a year ago is too weak. I attribute this to the countless hours on my computer and phone every day. If I keep this up there is a good possibility, I will finish college being diagnosed as legally blind.
I hate breakfast
The only real reason I ate breakfast in high school was that my mom forced me. There are now two reasons I don't eat it while at school. First of all, I would have to get up at least 20-30 minutes earlier which is really not possible with my current sleep schedule. Secondly, I can't eat (the gluten-free thing) and don't really like a lot of breakfast foods besides eggs. So, I shove a granola bar into my pocket and walk to class, relishing the extra half hour of sleep I just got.
My bed is my happy place
There are many nap haters out there, but I am certainly not one of them. Naps are my savior. I have serious doubts about my ability to be a functioning human every day without one, I'm not being dramatic. Even just a good 30-minute power nap can change my mood for the entire day.
As much as I thought I wouldn’t be the person to get homesick, calling my family is sometimes the best part of my week
Even though I'm a very open book when it comes to my friends, there is something so refreshing and reassuring about talking to family. They know you inside and out and love you no matter what. I would even go as far as to say that my family relationships are better now that I'm away from home. It makes me appreciate them and where I grew up so much more when I do get to go home.
And finally, I’m a lot stronger than I thought
College has already brought so much joy into my life, from the friends I have made to the passions I have begun to discover. However, all of that has not come without some challenges. But, along the way I've discovered this fire in me that wants those challenges to knock me down so I can get right back up again. So I can get right back to being the happiest and strongest version of myself.
