So lately I’ve been noticing that I’ve become a lot more daring (don’t know if that’s the right word to use) since college started. I’ve been doing lots of things that I wouldn’t in a million years have done before. (I can already feel the exaggeration in this lol). I really stepped out of my comfort zone and I just wondering how college changed others. It could be good or bad (or both depending on how you look at it lol).
Intriguing thread… let’s see…
This will most likely be a common response, but I feel a lot more confident now than I was in high school. I’m more comfortable with myself and my brand of nerdiness (it’s kind of atypical). I am much more willing to go out and find people to be friends with; I don’t expect them to come to me. The same is true of jobs and volunteer opportunities.
I’m much better at studying effectively, obviously.
I also stay up a lot later than I used to.
I have a boyfriend, a fact that would have been unthinkable in high school.
I have a much better idea of what I want out of college, and how to go about getting it.
- []I’ve learned a lot more about the world and had discussions with people of all backgrounds, coming from a small suburb to a large city.
[]I’m learning a lot more about politics and social issues since I have many friends who are very involved in activism.
[]Weirdly, my perfectionism’s mellowed out (I’m surrounded by Type-A students, so not sure why).
[]Though the above has also made my work ethic tank relative to when I first came to college, lol.
[]I too stay up a lot later, and also have trouble getting up as early.
[]I can solve a Rubik’s cube now, and spin fire!
So far, I’ve only attended CC so maybe after a couple years when I graduate I can come back and reflect more but for now:
I’ve learned the importance of being persistent. Community college employees (at least at my colleges) are incompetent and unhelpful so I’ve had to be so persistent and I think that’s going to help me when it comes to networking in the future.
I was already pretty independent, but college has made me even stronger in that area. I go to school out-of-state and depend on Uber and airports to get around. My freshman year has been pretty rough and a lot different than I expected, but it’s made me solve problems on my own and learn how to carry on.
I’ve learned how to be okay with being on my own- I expected to at least casually date in college, but that hasn’t happened yet. I go to a Christian school where everyone is dating, getting engaged, and married very young, so being single in this environment can be tough. However, it’s made me realize what I want out of friendships and relationships and given me time to focus on myself, so that’s a positive, I guess?
Warning: this is long. Sorry! I had a lot more to say than expected.
Thank you for making this thread. I have enjoyed reading the responses so far. To answer your question, yes, but not in the ways I thought I would.
Academically, I have done a 180 from who I was in high school. I can definitely tell that things “click” more with me, if that makes sense. The content I’m learning just makes more sense to me. I have better critical thinking skills. It’s easier for me to analyze literature/art/film/etc. My grades are the best they have ever been. I chock this up to college being more suitable for my learning/studying style.
Discipline/habit-wise, I am pretty much still the same. Haha. I’m still a procrastinator, still doing things last minute, still work in random energy spikes rather than methodically, etc. With that said, I’ve learned not to beat myself up over it anymore. I’ve just come to accept the fact that this is the kind of worker I am and it’s how I work best.
Socially, I haven’t changed so much as accepted my introverted ways. I haven’t come out of my shell like most people do. In fact, I am the most socially disinterested I have ever been. Despite this, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been even though my social circle is at its smallest. I’ve found the minimalist approach to friends (very few but very meaningful friendships) to be the best way for me to be socially fulfilled. My acceptance of being an introvert/not very socially interested has given me more time to focus on my family. I think that’s why my relationship with my mother, father, sister, and brother-in-law are the best they’ve ever been.
Overall, my two years in college have been a extremely enjoyable and fulfilling for me. As pretentious as this sounds, I see my current time spent in college more of a period of self-acceptance/self-realization/self-growth rather than a time of great external successes (i.e. lots of friends/social outings, partying all day everyday, tons of scholarships, etc.)
In undergrad:
-I broke out of my shell and became more outgoing.
-I learned what I actually wanted out of a partner and the relationship with my bf from freshman year of hs ended my second year.
-I pretty dramatically changed my life course from what I thought I wanted to do before high school to what I thought I wanted to do when I graduated. (But then went to grad school where I ended up falling back in love with my high school dreams and now I’m in a PhD program for that lol).
Just in general, I gained a lot more confidence and became much more assertive.
Work a lot harder, greek life, drink more, & smoke more. That’s all thats different in my life really.
More stressed, more tired, more appreciative of my hometown.
@OnMyWay2013 the rubik’s cube made me lol. 1:13am and I’m laughing about this… Is this what my life has come to? haha
Doing much better in college all-around compared to high school, easily.
- Grades are higher, I also work a lot harder
- Social life is so much better; still a few hiccups from here to there but I’ve lately began to stop caring as much
- Stay up so much later; if I’m asleep at midnight then that’s a good night, lol. Also do find it more difficult to wake up earlier, generally
- Am beginning to accept who I am and come to terms with it
Have loved my two years in college so far, here’s to hoping it continues.
I am bitter. I understand my work ethic a lot better and I have my own personal and professional goals, but I am bitter about everything, really.
So I haven’t actually finished college( I’m finishing up freshmen year now)
But, so far I’ve learned :
-to not hold too many expectations( especially in terms of people)
-to be okay with being alone
-to not invest more energy in a friendship than the other person is because that just leads to unhappiness(at least in my opinion)
- how to let go of a friendship when neither party is benefitting from it anymore
-to finally accept the hard truth that not everyone is going to like you.
-to live in the moment more
-that it’s okay to eat alone in the dining hall/do things on your own
Yeah, that’s all I’ve learned so far. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot more in the next 3 years though
I am really enjoying reading all of these replies.
I learned that you get out of life what you put in
I’ve lost confidence in myself, gained about 50 lbs, and hate my life.
Parent here. I won’t bore you with how college changed me, but it’s a beautiful thing. Cherish it.
It sounds like most of you are liking it, but if you’re depressed about college, go visit your friends who didn’t go away. You might come back with a new appreciation for how college changes you.