Image: Student Life via WCUPA
I remember when I first got to college. I was scared, homesick and anxious for the journey that lay ahead. I feel like a lot of other students can sympathize and relate to these feelings. No matter how much fun you were having, this nervous aura existed everywhere. As the last week of my first year of college is merely a few steps away, I look back at it. Uncertainty existed everywhere, but now, I have never felt more prepared for my future.
I had no idea what to expect from my first year of college; everyone was trying to tell me how it’s going to be and what I should do. I wanted my own experience, though, not someone else’s, and I fought to do and try everything I could. From partying to trying out different clubs and meeting so many new people, I eventually found my own path. But it wasn’t easy.
In high school, you follow the path you are told to, with only a little bit of freedom in the electives you take. I was very used to this and actually really liked it. It took a lot of pressure off me to be perfect, and instead, just perform as well as I could. In college, though, I had to not only accept all of this freedom but also embrace it. That doesn’t mean everyone did, though.
I know many who wouldn’t embrace it, but that doesn’t stop freedom from coming at them with open arms. It tackled them, and it took a long time for them to recover. Like many first-year students, pressure was coming from everywhere to figure yourself out as quickly as possible. I myself felt this, and knew I needed to figure my life out, but I didn’t know how.
I learned to take every opportunity I had, but also not to put so much pressure on myself. The whole point is to try everything you can, see what you like the most and keep that in your life. This may not sound too difficult, but it is, especially as you are forced to abandon things.
A huge part of carving your own path, though, is not burning any bridges. Even if you have to abandon something to start anew, do so in a way that you may be able to return to that thing again if needed. It’s hard to tell what you will be interested in or who you will want to hang out with in the future, so don’t ruin any opportunities.
Also, don’t let any opportunities go to waste, because you are bound to get distracted. While at first I thought I would stick to all my hobbies and goals, distractions came left and right. To make you feel better, though, it’s important to note that it’s almost impossible to avoid them.
So much new stuff is happening 24/7, and wanting to be a part of it all and experience so much is expected. I felt the same way, and sooner or later, I noticed I had abandoned the things I wanted to keep close. I knew I had made a mistake, and I immediately made my way back to the clubs, hobbies and friends that I wanted to be around. I was letting these distractions stop me from furthering myself, as they kept me from who I wanted to truly be.
Don’t ever forget to focus on yourself, look at the things you do daily, and ask how they are helping you move forward. While not everything has to be towards your career or progression, a good majority of them should.
The best way to keep yourself moving forward is to set checkpoints for yourself. Whether this be every month, week or day, it’s important that you keep yourself accountable for your schoolwork and hobbies. We all realize once we get to college that no one else is looking out for us, everyone is on their own, and it’s best not to rely on other people to get stuff done for you.
After a few weeks of stress and paranoia my first semester, I finally just relaxed and began taking my time. I stopped focusing on things that weren’t pushing me forward and got rid of the things that were holding me back. Everything was new, so it didn’t even feel weird to abandon these things, whether it be certain people, clubs or hobbies. I understand that these things differ from person-to-person, but I promise, as soon as you start focusing on your own well being you realize what’s worth keeping around.
The most important thing I realized, though, as summer peaks over the horizon, is the importance of all the mistakes I made. If you look at everything I said in this article, I wouldn’t have learned any of it had I not made mistakes. I tried something, and I failed, but I don’t consider that a mistake. I see it as me stopping myself from wasting any more time doing something or hanging out with people I don’t want to. The sooner you figure that out and work towards your future, not anyone else’s, is when you’ll make the most progress. Embrace failure with your newfound freedom, and whatever doesn’t work out wasn’t meant to be.
Nothing is possible, though, if you don’t try. As the summer approaches, look at all the things you wanted to accomplish but weren’t able to, and finally get them done. This could be as complex as starting an internship, resume or portfolio, or as simple as picking up a new hobby, starting a new show, or just relaxing. School is exhausting, so certainly take the summer to chill, but don’t forget about your future. Summer is the time to use the skills you learned and begin to apply them; don’t waste that opportunity. Your future is coming sooner than you think, so don’t let it slip right by you.
Your future you is out there somewhere. Go find them.
Samuel J. Beadle is a first-year English major. SB1033446@wcupa.edu.