College is a time to discover who you truly are. You are on your own and no longer have your parents or same exact friends to influence you. Everything you now achieve or do is all on you. That being said, I want to tell you guys what college is really about. Some think it's about preparing ourselves for jobs and others think it's to live freely and completely independent for the first time. Yes, that's all a part of it but college is meant to prepare you for your future. This could be anything in terms of relationships, jobs or just life in general. Many of you may already know this possibly because you have older siblings in college, friends or you're already going to be a sophomore. However, in this letter, there are many things I reflected on and realized close to the end of my sophomore year. Here is some advice my sister told me before going to college, as well as some I had heard beforehand.

The first thing that comes with looking into colleges is what you would like to study. We all have to decide what major we would like to study. This can be nerve-racking because you're deciding on one thing for the rest of your life, at least that's what you think. My past two years at Fairfield have taught me to not settle. Take chances and take risks. Not sure about studying something? Try it anyway. This is the time to try things out and learn from them. It's better to try out a few classes in different things that interest you than regretting it years later when you're stuck working in one area for the rest of your life. Things aren't permanent. This past summer, I began to take pre-veterinary courses because it was something I have always wanted to study. I also worked for a few veterinarians over the summer and spoke to them about what that line of work realistically consists of. I am a marketing and finance major so this area is way out of the ballpark of what I'm studying. I learned that it wasn't the lifestyle I was interested in, however, that I love it and would like to work in that area in one way or another. Take those risks and try different things out. It's the only way you can make sure that you love what you are studying and that you won't regret it.

Another aspect of college is finding those people who will be your friends for the rest of your lives. Don't rush into this. You'll find many people you get along with, however, you'll find some that are just friends and more which are close friends. You'll find that these people change with time. This isn't something to be scared of and you shouldn't stick to the same people because you're scared you won't find anyone else. Get to know other people and see who best fits you. Look and see who you can put into each category. These people don't even need to be from the exact same friend group. I have learned that it's a lot nicer to have multiple people in different groups than just one general bunch. It'll give you different breaks when you need them and it will allow you to meet new people.

Along the line of friendships comes going out and studying. Study your butt off but still have fun. Go out at least once a week (unless you really can't afford it). There will be plenty of time to study. Also stay in from parties every now and again because there will be plenty of them in your three or four remaining years. Balance your time. Don't be anti-social or a party animal. You're at school to study and be successful, but you also have every right to have a good time. Additionally, never pull an all-nighter. Your brain will not withhold any of the information and it'll be a waste of time. Begin studying a week in advanced. This will allow you to go to bed at a decent time instead of cramming. You'll also feel a lot more relaxed and prepared. All-nighters suck so don't even consider trying it.

Apart from all of these things, there are a lot of other things you're going to learn. The different things you experience are on you. Just remember to balance everything out and to take risks. This is the time to make mistakes. Better now than later.

XOXO

Jessica

P.S. Never say no to Domino's ... or free food.