Dear Future College Students

Dear future college students,

  To say that college is an adventure is an understatement. It is hard to put words together to explain how my first year at college went whenever people ask me. So I just go with a broad answer, such as “it was great” or “couldn’t have been better.” The thing that makes college so hard to explain is that it’s a mix of emotions and memories that simply cannot be described to anyone. What separates college from high school is that as cliché as it sounds, it literally is a fresh start. Walking into buildings that you’ve only been to on tours and seeing new faces that could be your potential friends is daunting. But the fun part about it all is that you can be anyone that you want. I can’t say that my personality has changed much within this past year, but I can safely say that I have grown up, to an extent. Most people that I talk to who have just experienced their first year away at school say that they have grown up a little too. If you’re living on a campus, you truly do have to take care of yourself; and those lessons that your parents always told you start actually applying to your life. All the decisions you make are in your hands.

It was extremely upsetting leaving home and saying my last goodbyes to my family and friends. The car ride on my way to school felt unreal; I’ve never felt so far away from home even though I was only an hour away. The moment my parents and brother drove away in their car, I remember walking into my dorm building and passing rooms with a bunch of people who I was sure I would be friends with soon enough. I made sure to introduce myself immediately and am so happy I did because I am extremely close with those people still and always will be. The people that you surround yourself with will make the biggest impact on who you become. Throughout the year, I decided to join a sorority.I am a proud member of Zeta Tau Alpha, and the experiences that I had with this great group of girls has changed my life. I never thought I could find such great friends in the matter of a few months and be able to say that they are my sisters.

Whether you make friends right away or not, college is a different experience for everyone. You can get so much out of it as long as you put yourself out there and enjoy and learn from every experience. You learn a lot by going to class (so you should probably go to class), but you learn the most about yourself through different experiences and how you handle them. It is not like high school at all, so be prepared for a big change. It’ll be the best change of your life.

Sincerely,

One overly, happy college student