Being in college for the first time has been a huge transition for me this year. It's also been my first time living away from home. Even though, my mother doesn't live very far from me, it's still been a big adjustment because I'm no longer living under her care and seeing her everyday like i have been for the past 19 years of my life. Being away at college has certainly been a learning experience for me, but I'm glad that I'm able to say that it was for the best. I've learned many valuable life lessons and gained experience all within about 3 months. What I've learned so far will surely help me as I complete my second semester and as I complete my last two years of college.
Something that I've learned much more about during thee past few months is how to handle money better. I've never been the best at saving or budgeting my money, and living at college taught me super quick that I was going to need to learn how to be better at it. Like many other college students, my pending money for extra things that i need, like toiletries are pretty limited. The fact that there are chain restaurants and coffee shops on and around campus made it even more tempting to spend money because they are all within a short walking distance. I really had to start thinking about what I needed and didn't need and I also had to learn to start utilizing the cafeteria more, because it's there for a reason. I'm still not perfect with saving my money, but I can definitely say that I''ve improved and that I'm better when it comes to making decisions about spending money.
Living at college has also taught me the importance of managing my time. When you live at college, you don't have your parents or guardians there to constantly remind you of things. I've really had to learn to set aside the appropriate amount of times that I needed daily for things like studying, homework, and exercise. It can be difficult and overwhelming at times, but I've also learned to really utilize my planner as much as possible do that I can at least have some sort of daily schedule to go by, and I can say that it's helped tremendously. I've also had to figure out when to set aside time on the weekends for friends and family because it's important to spend time with them too.
These past few months have definitely been a huge learning experience for me, and I've learned lessons that I will take with me as I progress through my life. I've really learned how to be a responsible adult and I feel that I will only keep on improving. I'm more comfortable with saving money and I've gotten much better at managing my time since moving into college. It's certainly been an interesting journey and I can't wait to take on the new semester so that I can improve even more.
