<p>Do you think anything about you has changed (other than your academic knowledge)? To what extent?
Looking back to my high school self, I don't think I even recognize that person anymore. I used to be so obsessed with academics and school was the only worry in my life, I was both socially and fiscally conservative (and was actually proud of it -shudder-), I was anti-alcohol and intensely anti-any illicit substances.</p>
<p>Since I went to college, my view on all of those pretty much reversed and I've become a much more open-minded and rational person. I feel like I now truly understand what people mean when they say college isn't all about academics. </p>
<p>Does anyone else love college as much as I do?! :D</p>
<p>I’ve been coming out of my shell, I guess. The rest of my lifestyle changes have been because of the nature of College. If I were to go back to High School today, I don’t think much would change beyond being a little bit more open minded.</p>
<p>I’ve been more humble about living. I became poor and lived through that and I’ve been sick for a long time trying to make it through life as best as I can. I was a very nervous teenager around women back in '08. It probably had something to do with me having a couple girlfriends the summer after high school ended that made less nervous now. I’ve now been in a relationship with one of them for over two years now and I can easily approach any woman because I’m not looking to impress or attract anyone.</p>
<p>Technically a freshman but I’ve been out of high school for nearly 1.5 years now. I’m much more mature now, I know the value of a dollar better, I’m not as materialistic or obsessed with becoming rich, and I’m a little less conservative than I used to be. I also enjoy my classes a lot more! Like you Steven I also was somewhat anti-alcohol and anti-drug and anti-smoking, but I do the very latter quite regularly now and am always eager to get incredibly drunk, and I’ve tried marijuana a few times.</p>
<p>However, I also have way less friends than I did in high school (well, senior year of high school), way less self confidence (again, senior year, the rest of high school was ****ing awful) and just generally less happiness. :/</p>
<p>I would like to think I’ve changed a lot since high school.</p>
<p>Even in my senior year, I felt like no one liked me and that I would be better off just dying. All my friends hated me - in fact, I didn’t have any friends of my own. My closest friends were my teachers.</p>
<p>When I got to college, I thought that life was gonna be more of the same. However, thanks to at least 25 people that I would now consider my close friends, I began to open up and enjoy life. The hours - long conversations with friends is something I never thought I’d have.</p>
<p>It didn’t hurt that the classes were fascinating and that the campus of my school is absolutely beautiful - we have a secluded reflection pond where people can just go and relax, and the rolling hills are absolutely majestic (Sometimes, on a Sunday night, I’ll just sit out on the Oval and watch the sun set).</p>
<p>I feel like I’m a much stronger and happier person now, and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.</p>
<p>I don’t even know who that person is that I was in high school. I used to be somewhat timid, and very into politics, and all of that. I was somewhat worried about what other people thought about me back then. Now I’m just a lot more comfortable and confident in myself, and able to open up a whole lot more than I could back then. My priorities have changed as well. I’m less concerned about money, and at this point, if I was working a job for like $10 an hour I would be able to live perfectly happy on that. I think it helps that I’m pretty good at managing money on that end too though. I don’t give a **** about politics anymore at all. I find stuff like politics and religion to be a waste of time, and feel as though people can be better served by enriching themselves, rather than getting involved devotedly to frivolous things like politics and religion. Definitely much more of a think for myself person now, than letting other people think for me, and look at everything with a critical eye.</p>
<p>I’m also just a lot more chill. I don’t really let anything get me worked up now, and just roll with life.</p>