The Myths About College
Now, if you’re like me you probably had/have preconceived notions about college. I was told so many things about college before going….“these are going to be the best four years of your life”, “you’re going to LOVE it”, or “you’ll never want to come home”.
I always set expectations for people and events. Often, I am let down by those things so I have started to have less expectations and just LET THINGS HAPPEN. Maybe that is just a life lesson college has taught me.
At one of my favorite college visits at NYU
Anyway, whether you’re preparing to start college, currently in college, graduating college, never went to college or went 25 years ago, I hope something resonates with you about life.
Here are the myths I believed about college:
1. You will KNOW when somewhere feels right
College tours were awesome. I was so fortunate my parents were supportive of me attending a four-year university. My mom traveled with me up and down the east coast from New York University to University of Georgia. Everyone told me I would walk on a campus and know that was where I was suppose to go. I thought my ENTIRE life I would be a Tarheel. I toured UNC-Chapel Hill twice (once a general tour and again a tour of the journalism school). I was so disappointed. I didn’t like it at all. With that being said, I never walked on a campus and said THIS IS HOME. I hope you do but if you don’t you will make somewhere home. If you hate it you can always transfer. The same goes for future jobs or cities you move to. NEVER SETTLE.
2. It will be the best 4 years of your life
Many people told me high school would be the best years of my life. I never believed that. Then someone told me college would be the best 4 years of my life. Seasons of life are different for EVERYONE. For some people it may be high school, college or maybe when they are 60, retire and travel around the world. Don’t let anyone define the best years of your life. If I can tell you one thing…there is more to life that what I lived in college.
3. You meet your future husband in college
Ok, for real I believed this for most of my life. I didn’t date much in high school. I dated even less in college. I remember calling my mom first semester of freshman year and declaring “MY FUTRUE HUSBAND DOES NOT GO TO ELON UNIVERSITY.” To my knowledge he still isn’t there. Now, for some people, yes, you fall in love in those four years. If you’re like me, you don’t. I am here to you (and myself) that it is okay. Don’t take it as a failure.
4. Unlike high school, you don’t have to go to class
WHAT? I do have friends that went to other universities that didn’t have strict attendance polices. I rarely missed class…guaranteed less than five times in my 3.5 years of college. Of course you can skip class but if you want the best results, get to know your professor and make good grades…GO TO CLASS. I think that is a good lesson for all of life. Get up, show up and do your best. That will yield results in more than just college.
5. You know exactly what you want to do in life
Regarding this statement in some ways I am different. I visited college with the intention of being a journalism major. Few students know exactly what they want to do going into college. I consider myself lucky in that regard. However, I graduated a semester early…still sure I wanted to be a journalist with ABSOLUTELY NO direction. I am still figuring it out. My friends are still figuring it out. You may be 45 and figuring out what to do when you grow up and that it OK.
After the things that I didn’t expect and that didn’t go as planned there are plenty of things I had NO CLUE that would happen that changed my life. Travels, friends, experiences, professors, mentors, life lessons, etc. that I will never be able to thank Elon University enough for.
