Besides spending thousands of dollars on housing and tuition, college has done far more than just scare me from checking my bank account. The time I’ve been in college has helped me like none other. Beyond the late nights and stress from tests, college has given me more than just an education. I’ve learned so many life lessons in just a short amount of time. In college one of the greatest things you can achieve is learning who YOU are and what your passion are in life. It’s not an overnight task, but as you maneuver through the journey you begin to love yourself in a way you never have. You give yourself time to focus on you and you learn your limits of how much you can commit to. Self-dates have become a favorite of mine, although they first resulted from my lack of friends. Just eating breakfast or sitting in Starbucks by myself brings me so much peace and relaxation, escaping the non-ending buzz of college.

College has so much more freedom unlike high school. I can sleep wherever I want on campus and justify it with no judgement from peers that all feel the same pressures of school. College has shown me so much unity although everyone is on their own personalized path. Stereotypes are eliminated, as college brings diversity like I’ve never seen. The experience of being around people who don’t wear the same outfit as me every day, and those with different accents and cultures inspire me. It inspires me to be open minded and accepting of people without judging them and it reminds me that the world is so much bigger than what we often give it credit in our minds.

College hasn’t been easy and didn’t meet my expectations like the way movies portrayed it to be. I’ve had heartache and I’ve somehow felt the loneliest I’ve ever been being amongst thousands of students. I’ve been confused and have switched my major three or four times often leaving me lost and second guessing myself. However, as that seems pretty depressing I’ve had some of the best times in college with people I’ll never forget. I’ve laughed until I cried and have had many nights with my best friend Netflix haha. I came to college with not only high expectations but high expectations for myself. I strove for that 4.0 GPA and lasted only two semesters until reality hit me hard. I learned quickly that college isn’t like high school where study guides are given and tests are every two weeks. In college it’s more like you make your own study guide and tests can be on a months’ worth of notes. Lastly, college has made me fearless. I’ve done more in the two years I’ve been in enrolled at my university than I ever did in my four years of high school. When I got to college I saw just how many things there were to be involved in and I leaped at the opportunity of being able to start over at a new chapter of life. So as I finish I challenge you as you to learn more about yourself, the things you like, and the things you don’t like. Spend alone time to distance yourself from the world and the drama that comes with it. Lastly, enjoy the phase of life that you’re in no matter how stressful or monotonous it seems. If you’re in college be willing to learn more than just what will be on next week’s test. Learn more about people that wouldn’t normally catch your eye, and serve others with your time and a listening ear. This is what college has taught me.