My dad always told me I would graduate high school and college as two different people. To be frank, I didn’t actually believe him. I’m not too sure who I was in high school – or at least who I was trying to be. I spent the majority of my time in relationships, getting AJ’s with my few close friends and stressing out over how high I could get my GPA. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that my mindset began to change. It took me a while, but this was the year I finally realized that I needed to stop chasing the wrong people. I started surrounding myself with people who genuinely wanted to see me happy, who wanted me to succeed and who actually cared about my personal growth. These were the people that would ultimately shape me into the person I would be throughout college.
I still remembering going over to my friend’s apartment and telling her about the weekend plans I had lined up and finishing my sentence by explaining all the reasons I probably wouldn’t end up going. She was the first person to tell me that I needed to start actually living my life more than I was allowing myself to. She told me to stop making “no” my automatic response and to let myself gain experience from whatever opportunities were being set in front of me - whether I was excited about these opportunities or not. I didn’t realize how much I needed someone to point this out to me. As strange as it sounds, that conversation actually changed me. I decided to stop saying no to everything that came my way (something I was much too good at). So here I am – living my year of “yes.” I won’t lie, this lifestyle has severely damaged my bank account (please send a quick prayer). In my defense, I think being the baby of your friend group who also has a severe case of FOMO (fear of missing out) is a dangerous combination. No regrets though, right? This year, I’m finally living my life for the experiences and memories to gain rather than being content with my bed and favorite Netflix show. Hell, I went to a two day music festival on a whim this semester and left with a new appreciation for music I used to despise. I’ve spent so much of my time being closed minded and set in my ways that it’s about time I force myself to branch out.
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So, here’s to the friend that changed my college experience – the one who forced me to break out of my high school mold and figure out who I wanted to be from here on out. Like I said, I’m not sure who I was trying to be in high school, but I do know that I have a lot more potential than whoever that girl was. My dad was right. If you allow yourself to fully invest in your college experiences, it will truly be the best four years of your life.
