Though I have only been a college student for about two months now, I feel that I opened up a world of possibilities, and have become an entirely new person in the process.

College Has Opened My Eyes

Before I came to college, I was very conservative, and fairly intolerant of a lot of things especially change. I am from a very small town; so upon my arrival to the school, I was shocked. It was an overload: there were so many new people, ideas, and things to see that I has never been exposed to and at first I was uncomfortable with this. I heard things at home about other groups of people that were not exactly kind; when I got here, I actually saw and spoke with members of these groups. And amazingly, they were just like me. They were human beings, and I didn't realize it until I was thrown into the mix of culture at my school. Now, some weeks later, I find myself watching everyone that goes by. I love looking at people now, all kinds of people, and I have become more open-minded, inclusive, and interested in people who are nothing like myself.

College Has Forced Me to Be Independent

While I turned eighteen several months ago, I still lived at home, so I didn't really act like the adult that I was until I moved away from home. Yes, I was mature, but I didn't do a lot of the things for myself that someone my age should. I still relied heavily on my parents, financially, emotionally, and mentally. It's funny, because I didn't realize how extremely dependent I was on my parents until they weren't around anymore. It was a tough adjustment, not having them here to help me at the flip of a coin, not having a shoulder to cry on. Even though I love my parents dearly, I feel that being away from them has been a blessing. I have become a young woman, I do things by myself now that I would have been to shy or clueless to do just last summer. I have let go of my fear that I can't do anything right. Here I am, two months later, and I have managed to keep myself alive and well. In short, being on my own has made me realize that I can do anything that I set my mind to.

College Has Given Me Self-Confidence

It's funny what a little time or change in lifestyle can do for someone. I came to college with the idea that I was stuck as the person that I was in high school and earlier years. I was extremely quiet, overweight, and a stick-in-the-mud perfectionist. However, after my family left me up here, I realized that I was on my own, and once I started to live my new life, I realized that I could be anything that I wanted to be. I could change my life by sheer willpower and that's exactly what I have done. I have become much more outspoken, being the fun and friendly person that I have always wanted to be but was too afraid too. I have changed my lifestyle, by way of eating right and exercising, and it has done wonders for not only my body, but my self-esteem as well. Most importantly, I realized that I don't have to be perfect. I have the confidence in myself and my abilities to say "Hey, I'm going to take a break from this, and go do something fun," something I would have never done in high school. I've realized that I do not have to be perfect, and that if I am happy with myself, others will be too.

College Has Forced Me to Be Sociable

Don't get me wrong, I wanted to have friends just like everyone else. But I was always too scared to be social. I was afraid of rejection, being shunned, by anyone and everyone. I felt like I was stuck in a rut, so to speak, throughout middle school and high school, I has been the shy girl, the one who never talked. As time went on, everyone was making new friends, and if you are in a small school, it is very hard to change your ways in an instant. So I stayed as I was, quiet, and very socially awkward, through senior year, through graduation, everything. However, I came to my college orientation in June, and I got the first taste of what it was like to blend in and to have friends. It was very nerve-racking at first, but by the time August rolled around, I was completely comfortable with myself and my newfound social status; I was ready for my life to change. When it finally did, and I began to get settled into my new, hectic life, I realized that I could be myself around everyone I came across, because no matter what happened, there were still plenty of people to meet and make friends with.

College Has Changed My Perception Of Myself

Out of all the wonderful things that college has done for me, the most important and lasting effect is that it as changed how I see myself. I feel so confident now, knowing that my future is in my hands now, and no one can dictate my hopes, my dreams, and my life. No one can tell me now that I'm just a dreamer, or I'll never have my dream job, because in these past few months, I have been able to look at myself in a better light, knowing that I can do and be anything that I want to be.