In my first week of college, I called my mom crying saying that I wanted to totally bypass the college years and go straight to having a job and a family, and no, I didn't want to have children at the young age of 18. I just wanted to skip ahead a few years because I was hating college.
Fast forward to present day, I now only have a couple of months left before I graduate and let me tell you, I do not want this college life to end! Personally, I have experienced so much growth throughout my college career and I wouldn't be where I am today without the lessons I learned.
Accordingly, here are 5 important life lessons that I have learned outside of the classroom while in college.
1. Everything happens for a reason.
This is hands-down the biggest lesson I have learned. At the start of my college career, I found myself dwelling on every little situation. Questioning if I attended the right university or if my new friends liked me. I was always nervous that I didn't make the right decision for myself.
Accordingly, once I realized that sometimes things don't work out the way you hope and that everything happens for a reason, I became so much happier and actually started enjoying college. I made more friends and I stopped dwelling in the "what ifs."
2. Don't forget you are in college to get an education.
This is a hard one, everyone always tells you not to forget to enjoy college and have fun, however, sometimes that can be hard when you are there to get an education. Often times, students make use of their newfound freedom and will use their time doing things they shouldn't. Let's be honest though, all college students have definitely been there and done that.
Accordingly, as I got older and more experienced I learned that college takes balance. If you don't at least have some fun, school will get overwhelming and boring. However, if you have too much fun you will fall behind in school. It is important to find a happy medium of both.
3. It's ok to change your major.
I am the queen of changing my major. Throughout college, I have been through five majors. Yes, you read that correctly, five. Each time I changed my major I learned something else about myself and my hopeful career. I learned that I am not going to be an athletic trainer, a teacher, a family counselor or businesswomen, I learned what I liked and what I didn't.
This discovery brought me to my current major of Editing, Writing and Media, a major that I didn't know about as a freshman, however, it embodies everything I would like to do with my future. It's writing, it's design, it's social media and if you knew me, you would know how perfect it is for me.
As a side note, I would like to share that despite my ever-changing mind, I will still be graduating on time!
4. Everyone's future is different, so only worry about yours.
I graduate in a few months and I keep getting asked what my plan is for after college and you know what, I really couldn't tell you. Yes, I do have a plan in works, but nothing is set in stone.
Everyone gets so worked up trying to get the perfect job and have the ideal post-grad life, that it makes your senior year not as enjoyable.
Don't worry if all your friends have the perfect job lined up and you don't. Don't worry if you haven't heard back from your top grad school. Life is a forever changing event and your time will come.
5. It is important to try things outside of your comfort zone.
College is all about self-discovery. It's the last time you truly have prior to becoming a "real adult." With that being said, it is important to use this time to find out who you are and who you want to become.
The person I am today is not the same person who moved into Landis Hall during my first semester at FSU. Since then, I have tried things and failed. I have joined clubs that I never would have originally. Along the way, did everything go the way I hoped? Heck no! But I have learned, you truly will never know how something will go unless you try.
Some of my biggest successes have come from the biggest steps outside of my comfort zone. These same steps have allowed me to make progress in planning my future post-graduation. Plans that freshman year me would never have even thought of.
