Changing

Dear Golden Eagle Freshman,

            Congratulations. You’ve made it. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back because if you are like most people, you may have spent the past year focusing on tasks ahead rather than living in the moment. So, take a second to say “great job me, you did it!” Next, I want you to think of every expectation toward college that you have. Now that you are thinking of them, toss them aside. Come into college with an open mind and an acceptance of not knowing what is going to happen in the next for years.            

            Life is messy, hard, and not always enjoyable. For many, negative emotions are amplified in this setting. We are going to get hurt. We are going to be stressed. People are going to surprise us (not in a good way). Simply put, bad things are going to happen. But, you cannot let that change your character. I always say that it is necessary to put kindness over everything. At times that is definitely hard. I myself have strayed from that recently, but it is essential to stay true to yourself in these situations. You are going to change. You are going to mature. Just don’t change the essence of who you are. As I am writing this, a quote from “Understand” by Shawn Mendes (my favorite artist) keeps running through my head. He says “Changing isn’t a bad thing it never was, but where your heart is… That doesn’t change.” This song is about not letting such a big, new lifestyle alter who you are at your core. College is unlike anything we have experienced before. It is not unlikely to lose oneself in the midst of such a chaotic life change. Just remain conscious of this.

            The thing that has worked best for me is to talk to others who are in the same situation. College is a great way to meet a large array of people. Just find that one friend or even friends that undeniably have your back and everything will be okay. It’s never a bad idea to talk to friends and family from back home. They know you better than anyone else in this new place, don’t forget about them. They are also going to be the ones who keep you in check so make sure to keep them close. All in all, you have such an exciting future ahead of you. I wish there was a golden rule I could tell you to help you get through this fun, but difficult time. Unfortunately, there isn’t one that I have found. Hopefully you found this bit of advice to be hopeful. You can do anything you set your mind to (including juggling finals, papers, and speeches). Good luck!!

Sincerely,

A fellow Golden Eagle.