Reaching New Opportunities

Higher education can be a difficult transition for anyone. It is very challenging for anyone when they are used to having classmates they know, teachers they know, and a whole life that they know. They are so accustomed to having a set schedule and not having to make huge decisions their own. We are so used to living at home and hanging out with friends that we have known our whole life. 

It is challenging creating a new life for yourself. You have to make new friends, you are typically away from your family, and need to adjust to a new schedule. You now get to choose your classes, the times that you want, and when you make time for your homework. You also have to learn a new area and campus where you have to just feel lost until you figure out your way. This can be very scary for anyone, especially those that are not as outgoing.

For me personally, I found creating this new life for me very difficult. I am not a very outgoing person, so it was challenging for me to create new friends. I wanted to make sure I made good friends that would provide a new experience for me. I also wanted to meet new people because I was so used to being around kids I have known my whole life. I was accustomed to being in class with students I knew and people I was friends with.

When I walked into my first college class, I was very nervous. I did not know anyone there so I did not know where to sit. I can be a shy person, so it was hard for me to decide where to sit as well as who to sit by. I eventually decided where I belonged in my classes and it made life so much easier. I also made a ton of new friends in my first class.

The thing that I found most challenging was being away from my family. I am a very family oriented person, so moving two hours away from them was hard on me. I was also used to being home where my parents would help me out with anything that I needed. I was not used to having to set my own schedule of when I should do homework, work, eat, and hang out with friends.

Looking back on my college experience, I am so happy with the choices I made. I made a ton of lifelong friends, made great experiences, and learned how to be independent. If I had one piece of advice for you it would be this: get out of your comfort zone. As hard as it might be for you, it will also probably be the best thing to happen to you. You learn how to do things on your own, and you really find yourself. You find out who you are and where you want to be in life. You create new goals for yourself that you wouldn’t have figured out without this experience. You are exposed to so many new opportunities during your college career that you would never get if you do not put yourself out there.