So over the past three years I have changed an extraordinary amount as an individual. It is fascinating looking back at the girl I was freshmen year of college, to who I am now going into my senior year. It has definitely been a roller coaster of emotions, but those are the things that have made me who I am today.

If I would have known I was going to go through all the tears that I did my freshmen year, I probably would have ran… & ran real fast. If I would have known I was going to fall in love going into my sophomore year, I would have prayed to God for the guy of my dreams sooner. If I would have known it took me working my butt off my sophomore year to get into A&M, I most likely would have tried a little harder my freshmen year. If I would have known that God would test my faith with any & everything on a daily basis my junior year, I probably would have spent more “me” time with him. If I would have known that you find out who your friends are, in some good ways & in some bad… I probably would have hid under a rock [because losing friends stinks]. However, if I would have known all these things beforehand, I would not have grown so much. Change is good, & we all experience it daily. No need to try & run from it.

Things to prepare for in college:

1. Boys will break your hearts, I promise. But I also promise that you will get through it. It stinks at the time, but something I can encourage the most, is open your bible & visit with the big man upstairs. He’s the only person that will be able to get you through it. Oh, & calling your mom 15 times a day when your boyfriend crushes your heart is totally acceptable.

2. Friends from high school & friends you meet in college will come & go. Everyone always says you find out who your friends are when you leave for college, & boy is this true. Luckily, I have been blessed with some of the best girls in my life since elementary school, & I don’t think anything could break those friendships. Now for college, you are surrounded by people that are probably out of your comfort zone, but you get to know them & accept them for who they are & what their believes might be. You’ll learn who is there for the right reasons, & who is there for the wrong. But girlfriend, you will make some of the best friendships in college that will last a lifetime.

3. You will learn how to handle your studies, work & social life [yes all at the same time]. It may not be easy, but you will figure it out. My best recommendation is to by a Day Planner [you can get one from Target for less than $10] & stay organized. I do not think I could have survived college without one of these things. Another thing, try to remember to put your studies first… I learned this the hard way. I promise it will pay off when you get an A on that test you studied for, for weeks.

4. You’ll fall in love, & fall in love hard. It is crazy to think that a big percentage of girls meet their husbands in college, but it’s also so exciting to think. You may meet your guy in the craziest atmosphere, like a party or the bar, but if it is meant to be… it will be [this may or may not have been where I met Austin ;)]. But hey these make for some great memories to look back on & laugh. Prepare to be pressured into things you are not okay with, this is college, but all you can do is stand your ground & do not give in. If he sticks around, I would def say he’s a keeper 🙂

5. Go to church. If there is something I regret these past three years, it is not finding a home church my freshmen year. Church is a great place to have friends that will keep you accountable & I promise you need this in college. Sometimes you just need someone to splash some water on your face & tell ya to snap out of it. You’ll thank these friends later.

6. Get involved. I cannot stress this enough. This is where you will meet your friends & establish those relationships you do not want to miss out on.

7. Spend quality time by yourself, because me time is a good thing. In this time, do something you love & enjoy. Everyone needs time alone, even if it is only for 20 minutes everyday. This will keep you sane,  I swear by it.

8. Learn to cook. It takes a while & you will either love it or hate it. College is the first place we experience full independence, so embrace it. You will get tired of pizza rolls & frozen taquitos… so start learning the first chance you get.

9. Get to know your professors. Since I was at Blinn my first two years, I did not really apply this to my life. However, now that I am at A&M, I am a firm believer in this. Your professors are the ones that will help you find jobs & write recommendation letters for you later on… so get to know them now, I promise they don’t bite.

10. The most important thing I can think of is to stay true to who you are. College is a beautiful thing, because we all get to explore & find out who our true self is. If you cross a path that you don’t want to go down, but are pressured, do not give in. You will look back thinking “thank The Lord I did not give into something I did not want to do.” I’ve been there, & I can almost guarantee you will be to.

With all this being said, I hope this gives you a little idea of how life changing college is, but also how awesome it is. You get to experience so many things within these four years, that will define who you are when you step out into the real world, so experience them & live it up.

xoxo

Geor