Your first month of college is full of "realizations." For instance, you realize that free food really is the greatest thing on Earth, or that cover charges at Northgate really suck. The biggest realization I made, however, is that having a good time is much more about who you're with, rather than what you're doing.
First off, I'm from a town of only 1,699 people. In case you've never been to a small town in East Texas, allow me to shed some knowledge upon you—there is absolutely nothing to do. My town literally had a Sonic, a Dairy Queen, and a local family diner. That's it. Many nights in high school consisted of driving down endless back roads or sitting on tailgates at the Sonic. I remember saying countless times,
"Man, if only we lived in a town where there was stuff to do, life would be so much better."
Fast forward to August of the summer after my senior year and I got my wish. I left my old, boring town in the rearview mirror and continued my journey through life in a college town of over 100,000. Suddenly, instead of searching for something to do, I had a different opportunity at every turn. If I wanted to go out every single night, I easily could. A whole new world was opened up before my eyes.
After a couple of weeks, however, the exhilarating excitement of constant entertainment started to fade. I started missing those backroads and tailgates more and more. Why? My new life paled in comparison to my high school life, right? Well, yes and no. Without a doubt, my huge college town had its perks over my tiny hometown. Comparing the two on paper, my new town would blow my hometown out of the water. However, life isn't so black and white. The more I thought about it, the more I realized what I really missed. I didn't miss the town and I didn't miss the boring nights—I missed the family I left behind.
Now, when I say family, I don't mean necessarily my blood relatives. My group of friends was inseparable. I knew without a shadow of doubt that my boys had my back. I knew that when I needed them, my girls would be there for me in a heartbeat. I don't have that yet in college. I know it will come with time, but it just hasn't yet.
Life is ever-changing, and we must constantly learn. My first month of college has accelerated that process to an unimaginable rate. To be shaped as a human being, you have to be put in an uncomfortable position. For that very reason, I am glad that college has been a challenge. However, if I could give you one piece of advice, it would be to spend as much time as possible with your best friends. Cherish every moment you have with them. One day you'll look up, and realize that whatever you're doing just isn't the same without them. It's not what you do in life that makes it fun—it's who you do it with.
