Short answer: I loved college.
Long answer: I loved college. Why you ask? Because when I look back at that time from 18-23, I see it as a radically transformative time in my life.
I moved around A LOT as a kid, but grew up in what I use to call the closest thing to countryside in mid-00s Southern California. It was a small town with loads of ranches/ag land, and a very conservative bubble. When I chose a college, I wanted and needed to move to a big city and so I did just that. Nothing could prepare for how wide my eyes would be and how much my mind expanded.
I learned to say yes to everything (even when I probably shouldn’t have), I failed with relatively low consequences (though it always felt catastrophic at the time), I learned how to talk to a variety of folks (some I hated), and I felt like I finally had the ability to build a life by my own rules. I was rapidly exposed to many new experiences and perspectives, and had myself challenged over and over and over again. For that, I say my time in college was wildly transformative and essential to the person I am today. I loved it.
(Pictured: My last summer break ever, a 21-day roadtrip throughout the desert with my college roommate and best friend as we sought peace to finish writing our respective thesis’. We lived out of my tiny Kia Rio, cooked everything, slept only on “free” land, and made sure to take a shot of whiskey every morning and night to keep the bears away)
Jan 20, 2025
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congratulations on your senior year that's amazing! for me college was the best experience but i truly believe it is what you make of it. i took my 1st semester easy & luckily i had a great roommate that accompanied me to all types of social events i could find on our school's event board. going to social events helped me make friends & helped even decide classes i wanted to take outside my required classes.
my 2nd semester i started to get more serious about my club involvement & ended up on executive board positions which truly have helped me now that i'm graduated & in the professional field. aside from clubs and social involvement, i loved my classes & took a few classes outside my major that helped expand my knowledge & kind of made me more well rounded. ik college isn't for everyone but for me, it exposed me to new ways of thinking i don't think i would've been exposed to. it also expanded my professional network which will and has helped with job prospects.
i now regularly stay in contact with my friends from college & although we're in complete different parts of the world, we schedule weekly facetimes & find ways to visit each other every so often.
p.s. sorry this was long! i loved my experience and love sharing it with others because i truly believe college expands your knowledge, if you ever need advice on the application process or want to know anything else please reach out!! i wish you the best of luck on whatever journey you decide to take! <3
Jan 19, 2025
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Unironically, college prepared me for an excellent paying job after I graduated. I went to art school with a very entertaining and sometimes embarrassing student population, despite this, the community there welcomed me with open arms and made some life-long connections. I think it’s important to get out of your own personal bubble and experience worlds/communities very alien to your own and experience them as best as you can; see things that challenge/inform your worldviews and personal opinions. Glad there was no pickleball there during my time. 7/10
Jan 19, 2025
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still in college right now. i grew up with parents i felt were pretty strict so being able to move away was good and bad. with such a new sense of freedom i kind of lost it and partied more than i could handle. my grades took a tumble, but i was the happiest i had ever been. obviously, my parents were not happy with that and i really had lock in on academics. although this new party lifestyle kind of caused a unnecessary amount of stress, i wouldn't change how i handled this at all. through this whirlwind of nights out, i met my closest friends and really discovered myself. my university has a large music scene and most of the parties i went to were also house shows. while i have severely grown out of the crazy partying, i still end up at these functions as a photographer for the artists or clubs throwing the events! i wouldn't have discovered my passion for photography without exploring the music scene the way when i first got here.
Jan 21, 2025
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Over the last few years, I’ve started to purchase DVDs at the thrift store whenever I find a favorite or one I’ve been meaning to watch. They’re always super duper cheap (I’m talking a buck a pop) and it’s easy to check they’re in good condition.
Now I can always have my fave movies and shows on deck because eff’ these greeding streaming services 🖕🏽
Feb 10, 2025
My eldest kitty Moose was rescued through a foster network I was volunteering with, he is a very good goofy boy and I love his little “antlers” on his forehead!
My youngest kitty Lady Bug (the space between “Lady” and “Bug” is important as her noble title should always be addressed), is only a few months old but so brave and cuddly! Her little grinch hairs behind her ears are my fave.
Jan 18, 2025
In 2024, I experienced grief in all of its stages. Fundamentally it changed me - for better or worse? I’m working on that with my therapist.
I found myself listening to this song *a lot* throughout the year. Maybe it was the vulnerable and relatable lyrics mashed up with a uplifting melody, but something about the final lines…
*“It's that little souvenir of a colorful year
Which makes me smile inside”*
… always got to me. Hopeful, might be the feeling. Especially since it’s the only point in the song that she doesn’t reference it as a terrible year. To me it felt like she wanted autonomy over how she wanted her song, her story on the year to end. She defines it, rather than it defines her.
You can’t control when grief happens to you, but you can control how you decide to navigate through it. Maybe, just maybe, I could look back at my grief and let it go.
Jan 22, 2025