Five Girls You Meet in College

Around this time of year, I begin to get nostalgic. I think about all the people going to college, leaving home for the first time, getting to know all kinds of people and new experiences, it’s sensory overload. You can become easily overwhelmed. It’s all part of life.College Girl Holding Textbook

Some will leave you a better person, and you will end up learning things about yourself that you never knew before. Others will test your patience, which is pretty important. Your limits will be defined during this time of your life. It is best to think of these individuals as ‘lessons’ instead of ‘jerks’.

Many people you meet will bring out the best in you. They will bring you out of your shell and get you thinking about possibilities you never thought of before. You might even meet your future business partner. In any case, it is going to be a time when you discover more about yourself than ever before.

Some people will be with you for life, others will fall away rather quickly. In the grand scheme of things, it may not be so important. As you arrive at your first class up until you get to your first off-campus apartment there are some people you’re likely to encounter.

Your Best Project Partner/ WOW she’s got it together

via college degrees 360 on flickrIt definitely depends on your major, but if you’ve ever been forced into groups and find someone that you just click with? That’s this girl. She’s just as smart as you and maybe her portfolio was a little better than yours. You’re just glad she’s cool and it makes it easier to take a break from the project to go get coffee together without feeling like it’s forced. Once you start to get to know her more, you are so impressed. She even finds the time to play a sport. You can’t even find the time to get a haircut.

Your Quiet Classmate/ Actual Lifesaver

via the leaf project on flickr 2She sits in front of you in a class that is mandatory for your major. Sometimes you just can’t make it. You know she always keeps the neatest notes and she’s so super nice that she lets you photocopy them. It also doesn’t hurt that she took other mandatory classes before you. Not only did she keep her old notes but she also sells you her old textbooks. She doesn’t even try to make money off of your desperation, selling you the books way below MFSR since she marked up the text and highlighted all the important stuff already.

Your Worst Nightmare/ Probably Single for Life

Your roommate. She may have some via leosaumurejr on flickrredeeming qualities, but she keeps horrible hours and bad personal hygiene habits. Yes, she did make popcorn in the microwave at 2 am AND burnt it so now the whole place smells. You are always the one who has to do the dishes. There are mysterious plastic containers in her side of the fridge.

She might be a crunchy granola type, which can bring a whole new set of problems. Unfortunately, she keeps potted plants in the place. via brandon o conner on flickrWhich she either kills by dehydration or over waters. Either way, you have fruit flies for some reason. Whatever happens, under no circumstances do not allow her to start composting in your apartment. You will live to regret it, and you’ll never get your deposit back from the landlord. All you can really do is kick her out. One last piece of advice, make sure she’s not on the lease.

Your New Bestie/ Soulmate but in Friend Form

via Valerie Hinojosa on flickrLet’s talk about your other roommate. If you are extremely lucky, you may find a real friend in her. She might even be your future Maid of Honor at your wedding. It’s not just that you like the same shows and have the same major. When you moved in and unpacked, you realized you both have a lot of the same books. Who doesn’t need two copies of Les Miserables? She’s really intuitive and knows what makes you tick. She knows when to order Chinese food. Or better yet, she cooks! She even teaches you how to make something beyond eggs and toast. She knows when it’s time to stream a movie marathon, and she knows what tea to buy because she drinks the same brand religiously. But she also has her own thing going on and knows when to leave you alone.

Your Partner in Procrastination/ Evil Twin for Real

via draxil on flickrEventually, you will find someone who has your same personality type. You meet for coffee because you share a bunch of classes together. You exchange notes and even check each other’s homework. With this comes your best cover story ever. If you’re not going to make it to class because you have to write a paper you put off writing for another class, this girl has you covered. It goes both ways too. When your girl is running late because she just had to get to a flash sale, you’re the one who tells the professor she had to get to the dentist because of some kind of sudden pain she had while you were eating lunch with her an hour ago (wink). If you both have to complete a project together that you ended up putting off in favor of a spontaneous trip to an amusement park near campus, you both come up with a collaborative lie together to get an extension (PS riding the roller coaster three times was her idea).

A Word about Sorority Girls

Girls who go greek tend to get a bad rap, but they are awesome! The culture has changed over the past decade. Most sororities have done away with the truly embarrassing and physically dangerous hazing rituals. It’s a great option for girls going to college far away from their home because it fosters connections within the organization, encourages socialization and teaches you how to live in communal housing for the first time. Yes, you can live in the dorm but that is more of an individual experience. Dormitories do have a common area, but dorm girls mostly keep to themselves unless they are party animals or in everyone’s business.

via texasamu on flickrSorority life isn’t for everyone. Attendance at events and parties are mandatory in most cases. If you tend to put all your energy into classes and just want to chill out at night this might not be your thing. Greek houses also do a lot for the community like charity auctions and neighborhood gardens. In short, always befriend a sorority girl. They know who’s who on campus and where the best parties are. Trust me you will not regret it!

Let’s Talk about You

There are some things to consider when you are on your own for the first time ever. Focus on yourself at this time in your life. If you worry too much about what other people are doing it will be so stressful. Mentally, it is exhausting trying to keep up with the goings on with others. Yes, it is important to cultivate relationships and maintain your friendships. Finding out what makes you happy is very important. If you haven’t picked a major yet, this is the number one thing to focus on. Try different things and don’t settle for just ‘good enough’.

You may experience a career change later in life. Many people do. Find the thing that you love to do right now and then figure out a way to get people to pay you later. When you follow your passion, you do great work. People will always notice when you are performing at your highest level. Do you love knitting doilies? Knit every day. Knit until you are making the most intricate doilies. Whatever you do ‘just for fun’ can end up being a fulfilling lifetime career.

Let Other People Shine

via the leaf project on flickrAn important lesson to learn is to let go. If you’re studying to be in a leadership position at some point in your future career, you have to know that there are competent people in the world and you do not have to do everything yourself. Perfectionists will learn really quick in the first week of college that not everything will go their way. Learn to be flexible with your schedule and don’t expect other people to keep the same habits you do. We are all unique and we all perform at different levels, but that doesn’t mean that the end result is any less valuable.

At some point, you will be forced into groups. Even though you may not find anything in common with people on the surface, getting to know them over the course of the semester will reveal to you that we all have our strengths. It takes a good leader to place people in positions that will advance the project and keep the peace within the group.

Looking Forward

You never know where people will end up. In the course of your college career, you’ll create a network of people you’ll probably be in contact with for many years to come. It may not be your best friend ever, but as you all disperse and go into your respective fields always maintain communication. Whether it’s for a job at their company or if you have an idea for a new start-up, keeping touch with smart people is a good idea.

Don’t Worry Too Much

via kpjessop on flickrCollege life is full of the unexpected. Be prepared to fail, but know that you just learned one way that doesn’t work. After your first year on campus, you will get the hang of it. You might even transfer to another school if this one isn’t your first choice. Don’t get discouraged. Doing your first year at a college that isn’t ivy league is no big deal. But if you stay there for the freshman experience, you just might learn that you are getting the same caliber education. Many educators split their time between private and public universities so they can receive state pensions, so you may see some familiar professors when you transfer out.

The whole point of this time in your life is to have fun while learning what makes you happy. If you struggle through pre-med, maybe it isn’t your calling. Don’t fret over disappointing your family. In the long run, they would rather you be successful at what you love to do as opposed to an unhappy mediocre podiatrist.

When you listen to your loudest inner voice, good things follow. The people you meet along the way while you are building your passion in life will fall into two categories; They will either foster your greatness or show you that there are lessons to be learned from what not to do. Both are valuable types of people to have in your life. That is what makes this journey so interesting.

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