Today is the last day of classes, and I am saying goodbye to some of my classmates and friends for the summer or possibly forever. Yesterday I had my last Bible study meeting with my friends before finals, and we spent the hour just reflecting on our year, as all of us are freshmen (in college). We went through our highs and lows, as well as things that surprised us this year. The last question we reflected on was what advice we would give to someone who is coming into the year we just finished. What I loved about this question is that all of us gave such different, yet real, answers that accurately reflect our personalities. My best friend Heaven said to put yourself out there, whether it is socially or academically. Similarly, my friend Gabriella said to surprise yourself and to not be afraid of embarrassment. Putting yourself in uncomfortable situations can lead to you meeting people you never would have otherwise. I definitely see this in my own freshman year! If I hadn’t gone to that one awkward volleyball meetup the first week of school, I would not have met my best friend or my Bible study leader, who introduced me to so many lovely girls. If I had not gone to that vintage pop-up store with my friend, I would have never befriended the amazing woman who runs it. There are two other pieces of advice that struck me. Erynn said her biggest advice is to follow your heart, and on the same note, Brooke said to stay true to yourself. By the time you get to college, you probably have a relatively well-formed idea of what your morals and boundaries are. Yet, it is still so easy to lose yourself in order to “fit in” with the crowd. College is the time to reinvent yourself, and we are constantly evolving ourselves based on our experiences and communities, but you can do this without losing sight of what is important to you. I think something that really helped me with this is finding people with similar values to mine, and that I know have my best interests at heart. Having faith communities, if you are religious, is great, and if you’re not religious, there are so many political, sports, or creative clubs on campus that you can connect with! Last on that thought, distinguishing between acquaintances, friends, and close friends is crucial in navigating the social jungle of college and keeping your peace. Lastly, my advice to incoming freshmen is ultimately to be present in the moments you have. It is so easy to get swept up in the craziness of college, especially with all the papers, projects, and exams that dominate your free time. Take the moments you have with the people you love and appreciate them to their fullest extent. If you don’t, the year is going to pass you by faster than you can blink (believe me, I can’t believe I am already reflecting on my freshman year when it feels like I just said goodbye to my mom on move in).
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