If you're like me, college hasn't exactly been what you expected. Actually, it's kinda sucked. You're suppose to meet your best friends and have the time of your life, right? Wrong. I've learned some of the most valuable lessons of my lifetime here, but it hasn't been easy. I've found that college isn't about finding your future bridesmaids, going to crazy parties, and having fun all the time. It's about figuring out who you are. These shitty experiences of mine have made me into the person I am today and I've never been more grateful for that. Here's a list of the top 15 shitty situations that have taught me some of the most valuable lessons of my life.

I'm so thankful...

1. For my awful roommates.

They showed me that compromise is key. Not everybody does things the way you do, and sometimes it sucks and gets on your every last nerve, but you can’t change it. Sometimes you just have to deal with it.

2. For that frat boy who never talked to me again.

He showed me that I shouldn’t just throw myself at the first cute guy who makes me feel good about myself.

3. For failing my classes.

That showed me that hard work pays off, and half assed work won’t get you far. To be able to be successful, you have to be willing to do the work.

4. For getting thrown out of a frat party because one of the sweethearts didn’t like me.

That showed me that some people aren’t worth fighting with. Besides, everybody knows what they put in that punch, you're lucky you got out of there before it was you.

5. For my absolutely shitty dorm.

That showed me that you can make any situation livable. Also, anything else looks like a luxury compared to that thing.

6. For the gaining freshman fifteen.

That showed me that you should filter what you put into your body. If you eat crap, your body looks and feels like crap.

7. For the mean girls in my sorority.

They showed me that no matter where you go, there’s always going to be people trying to bring you down. Sometimes it’s better to not be included rather than surrounded by girls who only care about themselves.

8. For the boy who rejected me.

He showed me how to put myself out there more. At that being rejected isn’t the worst thing in the world. Besides, it was for the best.

9. For getting too drunk at that party and embarrassing myself.

That taught me my limits, and how not to exceed them.

10. For my shitty lab partner.

She showed me not to offer to do something if you’re not going to be able to do it. There’s always going to be people who try to take advantage of you, and it’s okay to say no. You don’t always have to be nice about everything.

11. For that professor who is so hard on me.

She showed me how to push myself to be better, and that it’s not a bad thing to ask for help.

12. For that nasty breakup.

That taught me to put myself first, and that you can’t just keep hoping that things will get better. If you want something to change, you have to do it yourself.

13. For that girl just I just didn’t click with.

She taught me that first impressions aren't always right. There’s a lot more under the surface than meets the eye, that you have a lot more in common than you may think if you just make an effort to get know people, and how to realize when somebody genuinely cares about you. She taught me how to recognize when you’ve found your best friend.

14. For all those nights of crying, anxiety attacks, and feeling worthless.

That taught me that sometimes, you just need to call your mom. And that you shouldn’t have been such a bitch to her when you were fifteen.

15. For being stuck in all those situations I didn’t know how to get myself out of.

That taught me that the best long distance relationship to have is with your dad. He’ll always be there to help and talk you through things, even 200 miles away.

You see, when you look back at your college years you're not going to remember all those parties and people. You're going to remember what you learned from them. So yeah, college absolutely sucks, but I will never regret the things that have gotten me to where I am today. I have never been so thankful for this shitty college experience of mine. It has taught me some of the most valuable lessons of my life, and that's worth it.