5 Things I Learned During My Freshman Year of University

Today is the day. Today starts my third semester as a university student. I can’t believe I’m almost half-way through my bachelors degree! If I think about my first year of university I have to say that it was a time full of excitement, hundreds of hours of studying and way too many university parties. So since I’m feeling a little bit melancholic at the moment, I decided to dedicate this post to five lessons I’ve learned during my Freshman year at university.

1. Not everyone is your friend

Yes. I’m starting with one of the hardest lessons I learned. When I started to go to university I didn’t know anyone. So needless to say, I was pretty much happy about everyone who seemed nice and a ‘potential-friend-to-be’. Even though it was easy to make new acquaintances it was even harder to establish a good friendship with most of them. Looking back now, I’ve only kept two real friends from about twenty people I considered my friends in my first semester at university. It’s hard to realize that you might not be as close to someone as you thought you’d be or they don’t like you as much as you like them but as time passes by you’ll find the ones that stick with you through thick and thin.

2. You will fail

A Japanese proverb says: Fall seven times, stand up eight.  If you didn’t learn that during High School you will definitely learn it now. It can be a test that you fail, an internship that you don’t get, a confession you have to make towards yourself or simply a clumsy flirtation. I honestly don’t know anyone who didn’t experience something like this during the past year of university. And you know what? It’s ok! Getting knocked down happens to all of us but don’t forget to get back up and keep going. And that is something university is about, too. It’s not only about learning those difficult mathematic equations, interpreting Shakespeare’s verses or partying every weekend. It’s also about learning how to get back up over and over and again again. No matter what.

3. People come and people go

With every semester that starts you will not only have new classes and new professors but also meet a lot of new people. Some you might have seen before and others you’re meeting for the first time. During each semester old friendships break and new friendships are established. It’s kind of like an out of sight, out of mind situation. Over the past two semesters I have had a couple of ‘friends’ that I was only close to as long as we went to the same classes together. Once the semester came to and end, it was not only our class that ended but also out friendship. So I learned that not only not everyone is your friend but also that people come and people go. Some enter your life and decide to stay there for ever while others go as quickly as they came. That’s life.

4. Use the chance for a brand new start

When I graduated from High School in the year 2014 my self-confidence was pretty much not existent. During my years as a high school student I had experienced more downs than ups. I belonged to the outcasts, was mocked by my classmates for  being a biracial child and went home crying more than I can count. I was skinnier than everyone, had braces and needless to say: I felt like the ugly duck. So the day I graduated from High school I decided to turn my back on everyone and start a new chapter in my life which is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I gained weight, cleared out my wardrobe and renovated my room. When I started going to university no one saw me as the ugly duck that was an underweighted weirdo. They saw me as a young, happy and confident woman that rocked winged-eyeliner and whose heels can be heard though the hallways. I took control over my own destiny and became the person I always wanted to be.

5. Don’t be scared of the future

Life is tough. Well, I already knew that during High School but I definitely learned it now as a university student. Every time I think about the future or look for internship opportunities I experience a nervous break down. It’s an achievement-oriented society we live in. The pressure is high to have the best grades or finish your studies in the shortest amount of time possible. One thing I had to learn was to accept things as they are and relax. You can’t plan your entire life and things won’t always turn out the way you wish they would. It’s good to think outside the box but don’t forget that your time is here and now.

Have a lovely Tuesday babes!

xoxo Laura Belle

(photocredit: sugarpwn)