what I learned durri​n​g my freshman year of college

As the year is coming to an end (could someone tell me how this happened?) I am looking back on my year. I have grown so much as a person and learned so much...so here it is

1. you might not be friends with the first people you meet, and that's ok

Everyone jumps into friendships with the first smiling faces they see. We are all looking for our group and no one likes being lonely, so many people jump into friendships right away. More times than not these are not your "forever friends." If they are, you are very lucky, and if they aren't oh well.

2. It's ok to drift away from your first friends as well

Going along with the last one, people drift. Once you start to join clubs and go to class you meet people who are more similar to you. The person that lives right next door or the very first person you sit with in class might not be the one person who was meant to be your best friend, and that's ok. You have to weed through the bad people to get to the good, so don't be upset if you can't find your people right away. It took me a little while to get to my friends, and I had to deal with some not so great people, but it was worth it.

3. get involved

This is so important! By getting involved with something you are finding a home in your home away from home. You can find your people, those with similar interest to you. As they say in Glee, "Being a part of something special makes you special." I feel this way about my sorority very day, and I hope everyone has something special that they do.

4. but don't overbook yourself

So I know I just said "get involved" but be careful not to overbook yourself. If you are trying to be friends with everyone you will see a lot of friendly faces but not maybe not have a ton of close friends. Choose one or two things that you want to devote your time to, and do just that. Give your everything to one or two organizations.

5. depending on your campus, the freshman 15 can be a myth

I can't speak for everyone, but my school is on the Shenandoah Valley. That means hills, hills, hills. It is hard to walk anywhere without finding at least one hill. My campus is also about a mile from one end to the other. My freshman year dorm was on one side of campus and my favorite place to eat was on the other so I was constantly walking. My school also had many healthy options, making it easier to make healthy choices. The gym at my school is also AMAZING! With workout classes including pilates, cardio dance, and yoga I have never found working out a chore. So my recommendation for you is to find something you like and a friend to do it with (thank you, Brianne, for being my workout buddy) and hit the gym. I did not get the freshman 15 and you can easily prevent it too!

6. spending time alone is ok

I hate being alone. I am an extravert and I love to be around people, so being alone was always painful to me. By the end of the year though I craved moments alone. I loved the time when I could eat peanut butter out of the jar and watch "Sex and the City" in peace. I also really got into journaling and meditating during my first year of college. I wish I was brave enough to journal in public, but it is still something I only do when I'm alone. Some with meditating. I have been trying to become my own best friend (see the next point for more) but spending time with myself is one of the best ways for me to become my our best friend and truly take care of me.

7. self-love is so important

This year has really been a year of self-love to me. Early in the year, a boy asked me for my number in my dining hall and I felt sick to my stomach. I had never felt like this before regarding boys, so I started to do some research and discover why I felt this way. I heard in a podcast that if you feel gross when someone likes you, it means you don't like yourself. This was one of the most eye-opening situations I have ever been in. Since then I have really been trying to take time for myself and make myself my priority. I went to the gym more and started meditating. I also changed the kind of podcasts I was listening to and the kind of TV I was watching. While I love "Sex and the City" it does slightly scare me that I will be 35 and single. I had to stop watching it for a while to give my brain a break. Taking time for you is the most important thing in the whole world, and it was something I really discovered this year. While I am not there yet, I am on the road to self-love and I love it.

8. School is easier than high school at times and harder at others

I know this is not the case for some people, and it all depends on the school and the person, but I have to brag for a minute. My grades are better in college than they were in high school. I think there are a few reasons for this. 1. I went to an extremely competitive high school where I took AP classes, choreographed for the drama department, was the student government president, had a volunteer job, and dances on a competitive dance team. Being in college I almost have more time for school. 2. My classes are more interesting. Is it a coincidence that my lowest grade was in physics (when I'm studying elementary education)? It was a required class that I was not very interested in, but many of my other classes are very interesting and I want to learn. 3. I feel as though I care more. I am in a better mental state here in college and care more about my future. In high school was goal was always just college, but here the goal is knowledge. My education is not free anymore, and I understand that I get more out of it if I put more into it.

College is such an amazing time, and while I am sadly done with my freshman year, I am so ready to see what sophomore year has to offer. xoxo, Gracie