Losing touch. Not only is it a marvelous song by The Killers (it’s great, seriously look it up), it’s something that everyone should do at least once in their life. If you’re anything like me, for a majority of your life you grew up in the same town, surrounded by the same people and the same places. The regular hangout is your friend’s basement that turned into your second home and everyone knew you eternally called the only couch dibs. Then comes college, and everything you thought you knew flew out the window. All of the sudden it was a whirlwind of new people and new places. Dibs on your friend’s couch no longer mattered anymore. It rapidly turned into the exhilarating race to the nearest futon after a night out. Overall, my freshman year at Michigan State was great. I was surviving classes, battling it out with the washing machines and dining on the glamorous cafeteria food. I took to joining new clubs and hanging out with new people. It wasn’t until Thanksgiving break that I had the abrupt realization I had changed a lot within the first few months of college. I had completely lost touch with my old self. And I loved it! Even now, months later, my personality shines bright, my values I picked up on earlier in the year are still strong and I’m in love with the life I live. So my dear friends, without further ado, I present “The Beginner's Guide To Losing Touch."

Be Prepared

A break from your normal routine can be alarming and scary. You’ll doubt the first couple of weeks and wonder if you should go back to your normal routine. Don’t! That pit in the bottom of your stomach, the nervousness you feel, it means you’re out of your comfort zone. That’s where life’s meant to be lived. A break from your normal routine can throw countless new adventures and new people your way. So don’t give in! It’s unbelievably worth it!

Expand Your Group of Friends

People have a bubble of friends. Their go-to’s, day-ones, whatever you call it, you know exactly who I’m talking about. Then outside that bubble are good friends that you chat with at least once a week. Then outside of that, you have the pure abyss of random people you usually never talk to. Start talking to those people floating around in the abyss. You’d be surprised at how many new friends and opportunities it can bring you. If you’re feeling adventurous, try this trick: Sit down next to someone new in class, pull out a pack of gum and offer it to them. They may decline, but it’s a good conversation starter!

Get Involved

I highly suggest somehow getting involved in your community. Whether it’s going Greek, or running for Student Hall Government or joining a club, getting involved in your community is a great way to meet new people and stay busy. Staying busy is highly important. It’s a great distraction from all the doubt you may be feeling about breaking your normal routine. Plus, the people you meet will be there to keep you actively participating with your activity.

Insta-Snap-Tweet= Delete

Lay off the social media. Taking a break from my social media was and still is hard for me to do. But logging off of Twitter, Instagram and even Snapchat does add free time into your day. Go for a run, read a book, paint a picture or cue drastic music and study a little extra. Either way, you’ll go to sleep at night feeling incredibly productive.

Don’t Care What Others Think

A lot of time is wasted on caring about what other people think. Trust me, I am guilty of this too! But then I realized this is MY life. Why should my life ever, under any circumstance, be restricted by being afraid of other peoples thoughts? Leave the insecurities behind and let your authentic personality glow. And the people who matter most in your life won’t care and will encourage every second of it.

So there you have it my friends, “A Beginners Guide To Losing Touch.” I hope that this guide helped and inspired you! Remember you got this!