When you graduate high school, you feel as if you are on top of the world. You feel older, freer and that you have the world in the palm of your hands. Growing up, you always had people telling you what you can and cannot do, telling you what is socially acceptable; in college, for better or for worse, you get to make your own rules. You decide if you want to go to class, if you go out every night or stay in, what you eat. You are not fully independent yet, but you are the closest you have ever been. College is a place to find yourself and most of the things you learn really don’t take place in the classroom.

You find new skills and hobbies

Whether you go to a large or small college, we all want to branch out, try new things and make new friends who will be by our side for the rest of our lives. Joining Greek life, participating in student council, playing on intramural teams and clubs are all things that can begin to shape your college experience and give you skills you never knew you possessed. Sometimes you don’t know you’re passionate about something until you try it.

Sometimes you have to be selfish

College is often the place we make life long connections with friends, spouses and whoever else it may be. Once you leave the drama or immaturity of high school behind, it is much easier to make these life long bonds. With that being said, your 20’s are all about finding yourself and making sure you’re gaining everything out of these few short years that you want. It can be difficult to think about yourself, especially if you are a people pleaser or like to travel in groups…Being independent can be scary in that way. Choosing what you want to do is a decision you have to make on your own. If you begin your freshman year saying you are going to study abroad, get an internship somewhere along the way and learn how to cook, you should do everything in your power to make sure you achieve those goals. It is very easy for four years to fly by in the blink of an eye and realize you cut yourself short of everything you wanted. Do what makes you happy, surround yourself with positive and supportive people, don’t be afraid to go out and get what you want, because college (and life) is truly what you make of it.

Don’t miss out

If any of you reading this missed your high school prom, you probably know what I am talking about. I am not talking about “FOMO” or just being too scared to miss any event big or small, I am talking about what is important to you. Sometimes you decide not to go to an event simply because you aren’t feeling very social which is totally fine. But if you let yourself seclude yourself, you will miss out on some amazing opportunities and miss meeting some people who could have turned out to be a life long friend or significant person to you. When you go out, don’t burry your face in your phone, don’t just talk to the people you already know - try new things, meet new people and try to step out of your comfort zone as often as possible. Being adventurous in college does not have to be a downfall.

Think about the future

Some people think planning too far ahead is a bad thing, but in college it is somewhat essential to always have a plan or some goals in the back of your mind pushing you forward. Whether you are thinking about your career and where to start, where to move after college, how to save money, buying or renting a home, what you are going to name your dog, it is always good to think about what your bright future holds. Going out into the real world is even scarier than going to college because for once, you are truly independent and making your own decisions that may impact the rest of your life. Having a few plans can make you more at ease and feel more comfortable so you are not just simply floating out there in the stratosphere of life wondering where you will float to next. Even if your plans do not go through, at least you have a foundation and something to build on or grow from.

If you still care what people think…the time to stop is now

I know in our college years we can be the most self-conscious and have the lowest self esteem we may have ever had. This is the case for far too many people and it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. Part of finding yourself is loving yourself. Happiness starts within and holding on to too much negativity and self-doubt can eat at you more than you think. College students are usually pretty stressed with schoolwork and finding a job for after graduation, so adding on to that will only make things worse. When you graduate and join the real world, people will respond better to someone who is self-confident. I do not, by any means, mean someone who is narcissistic or full of themselves. I mean to say that you are comfortable in your own skin, you don’t care what other people’s judgments are of you because you already know you’re amazing, and you don’t need anyone else to confirm that you’re amazing because you don’t need anyone else to achieve happiness. Walking into an interview and holding your head high and telling an employer why you would make a great addition to their team will make a much bigger impact than a .5 higher GPA.

Take the time to figure out what is really important to you

In college you will meet thousands of people, some of them will stay in your life forever, and some will seem to go as quickly as they came. It is important to self-reflect and recognize what you want in life. If there is too much negativity, find a way to balance that will positivity and get rid of anything that might be holding you down. If you put love and happiness out into the universe, it will find its way of coming back to you. Don’t join organizations because you think it will look good on a resume, join things that honestly interest you and make you happy. Some day, you will be applying for a job that makes you a lot of money, and maybe you will also be applying for a job where you wouldn’t make as much money, but you would love what you do. The decisions you make now can have a huge impact on the future, so make sure you are enjoying every moment possible and thinking about your happiness and how to achieve that.