May the odds be ever in your favor....
10/21/2014
Regardless of where you go to college your life after high school changes. I don't care who you are it does. It changes in ways you could never even predict. If you would've asked my high school senior self where I would be at the end of my four years in college my answer would be completely wrong. Some changes are fantastic, and others are not so fantastic. But, I have come to learn that they are all experiences that have made me grow as a person. So for those of you who are just starting college, or who are going to start soon here are some ways your life is likely to change after high school and advice as to how to cope with your new college life.1. If you are from a small town, like me, you most likely went to a small school in the middle of the corn field like many others of us in the area. Your school highlight of the day was drive your tractor to school day or the football game on Friday night. If you were like me you had a small group of friends but you knew everyone in your class by name. Although you didn't necessarily socialize with them. In college you will learn to socialize with more people than the type of people you talked to in high school. This is for the best! You learn about all different types of people. This broaden your perspectives and understanding of people. Take it all in and enjoy these new experiences. There is life outside of your small town, even if it is at a small college like IUE. Go find it and explore it! Take it for all that it is worth.
2. Those close-knit group of friends you have in high school will not be as tight as you once were. For example, out of my group of friends I talk to one of my friends on a pretty regular or daily basis. We are the rare friends that stay in constant contact who do not attend the same college. I see a few of my other friends every few weeks or months and we catch up which I enjoy. However, these friendships will never be quite the same and that is okay. Life evolves, people change, it doesn't mean I love these friends any less, but we just lose contact over the years as our paths go different ways.
3. You will find out the people that mean the most to you. You might learn that your family are actually pretty cool people. Which in my case they are. I love my family, my mom, dad, brother, sister in law. They are all pretty fantastic and I enjoy spending time with them! They are some of the only people that have always been consistent in my life. They are some of the people who truly matter and who always will matter. Second, my best friend, who I have remained in daily contact with. She knows who she is and I cannot thank her enough for sticking with me through all of my crazy endeavors and for all those endeavors yet to come!
4. Dating may become more important for some people as they start college. Find yourself before attempting to find someone else. My mom always gave me advice that it is better to be by yourself than be in the wrong relationship. I have come to find that this could not be anymore true! Dating is usually an aspect of college that most people take part in one way or another, but do not make it the focus of your college experience. Find yourself and what makes you happy as an individual person! Be Independent! Trust me it will find you when you least expect it with someone you would never imagine, at least that is how it has worked out for me. So live your life!
5. You may never master your schedule. In high school you have the same schedule day in and day out and it was easy to fit everything in. Although your college schedule will be somewhat consistent you will more than likely have other things to juggle as well to put into your schedule that you never considered before. Such as, your job, social life, sleep, homework as well as others. I believe time management is a learned skill. The more your practice the more you will figure out a schedule that works for you. You WILL figure it out eventually!
6. You will change your mind from what you originally considered your plan to be in high school. You will most likely change your mind a lot, and that is okay! It might be your major, where your live, your job, your roommate, your schedule, your minor, your life after college goals, or a million other things. Again this is okay! Change can be good! It took me awhile to learn that concept. Embrace that you are not 100% sure what is going on in your life. 99% of other college students don't know either! Now that I am a SENIOR I get asked where I am considering applying once I graduate in the Spring. The answer is...... I honestly don't know! I have considered moving, I have considered staying in the area. I have consider trying a job completely unrelated to my major. The thing is I have option, all college students have options of some sort. That is the beauty of it! Embrace it!
So moral of this long rant. Your life is going to change. Buckle up and get ready for the ride. May the odds be ever in your favor!
