Dear Freshman Belle,
Breathe. College seems overwhelming, but your experience depends on what you want to get out of it and where you devote your time. It seems as if things are coming at you for every which way and you cannot control any of them. New classes, new peers, new roommates, new meal plan, new home-- all of that comes at you is new. Don't get me wrong, many, many things about this year are in fact new to you. However, if you take the time to look around, you will hopefully see that even if some things appear differently, there are some things that have not changed. For example, a hard workout and a long nap will do wonders to stress. Balance holds the key to your success.
Don't feel as though you must hastily squeak by in a schedule of running here and there, every which way. Take control of your schedule. Take control of your time. This is the most precious tool you have to succeed. And this does not mean you should spend every waking hour in the library. But it also does not mean you should spend hours and hours on Netflix or goofing off with your roommates. Both these activities-- work and play-- are important and should be balanced because one without the other will only lead you down a rabbit hole of more stress. Breathe.
Don't feel as though you have to meet your besties right away. You will find them when you open yourself up to opportunities and allow your real personality to show through. In this new place, everyone wants friends. This is of course a good thing, a wonderful thing. You will find people who you will come to love and cherish, people that you will stay up all night talking to because you've lost track of the time, people who will read over your papers, people who will treat you to frozen yogurt and listen to you when something has gone wrong. You will find your besties. However, it may not happen right now and those people might not be who you first expect. Be open and be you. Breathe.
Many, many amazing experiences await you. Learn courage to put yourself out there and act on the opportunities that come your way. Learn wisdom to know the difference between gold and its impostors. Learn patience to maintain peace within yourself and enjoy the present moment. You will learn many things over the course of your college career. You will be inspired, you will fail at times, you will depend on others at times, and others will depend on you.
Wake up each day with joy and gratitude. Call Mom and cry when you need to. Pray daily. Reach out to the people around you. Go out on a limb. Smile and have confidence to grow. Breathe
All is well, Freshman Belle,
Elizabeth
No comments:
Post a Comment