College is a whole new world and it is nothing at all like the movies! Love and Basketball, Legally Blonde, and Drumline...thanks for giving me false expectations. While it is vastly different from the movies, it is still full of excitement. Please peruse and enjoy the list of lessons that I have learned since being in college.
1. It's okay to step outside of your comfort zone.
Talk to someone on the first day of class, introduce yourself to new people, join clubs/organizations, try a new hairstyle. The point is: diversity is the spice of life and trying something new can actually be a very exhilarating experience.
2. Brightening someone's day can brighten your own. Smiles, greetings, and compliments can go a long way!
3. Dressing up on Mondays really does make it easier to get through the week.
Looking and feeling good makes the day zoom by because of course when you're looking nice, time seems to speed up.
4.If something in class moves you, it's totally okay to cry.
No one will judge you! They might even get you a tissue or two.
5. Eating ice cream during the winter is not weird...at all.
Friend: Want to grab a double scooped chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cone from Trowbridge's?
Me: It's 38 degrees...
Friend: Ok...?
Me: Let's go!
6. It's okay to be a nerd.
Spending your Friday and Saturday nights studying or resting up for the upcoming week is nothing to be ashamed of. Answering questions in class when everyone else seems to be completely disinterested and quiet is great! You're there to learn, so never try to hide your passion for knowledge.
7. Hiring a personal trainer is worth the coins.
The money situation in college is usually pretty tight, but an investment in your health is the type of expense that can benefit you for a lifetime. Work out plans are easy to make, but hard to carry out without the proper motivation.
8. Relationships pose an unnecessary hindrance to your future.
College is stressful enough, without adding anxiety from temporary individuals who aren't directly contributing to your success. Don't chase anything, but your dreams!
9. Being an adult is fun.
Scheduling your own doctor's appointments and paying your very own bills gives you an obscene amount of satisfaction...for now.
10. Embarrassing things will happen, you just have to pick yourself up and keep it moving.
If you fall down a couple of stairs during the busiest time of day when everyone is using said stairs to rush to class...do not just lie there. I repeat, do not just lie there.
11. Harry Potter's invisibility cloak would come in handy, literally any time:
Showing up to your favorite, no nonsense teacher's class late, trying to sneak into the cafe when your meals have ran out for the week, etc.
12. Skater dresses on a windy day are never a good idea.
13. Don't be afraid to change your major.
And if you're too indecisive consider having more than one. Figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life is very important!
14. It's okay to be alone sometimes.
Learning to enjoy your own company and entertain yourself is a big part of life. Read a good book, cook a Pinterest meal, watch a new series, learn a new language. The possibilities are endless, but a little solitude every once in awhile does the college student's heart and mind good.
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