Personal Development

Going into college, I had no idea of how I would grow or change as a person. I knew everyone did change, no matter how small or subtle. Many friends from high school came back from over break and for the most part, they all seemed more satisfied or happier with their accomplishments and outlook on life. For me, there are a few ways in which I changed and developed as a person, but there are also many ways in which I stayed the same person I was before college.

One of the biggest differences I’ve seen in myself after this first semester of college is my want to socialize. Back home in high school, I had a close-knit group of friends, and that’s all I needed. I never had a desire to go out and try new things or do stuff just because. I had a pretty simple and straightforward way of living. However, after a semester in college, while I still am most definitely not the most social and outgoing person on the planet, I have recognized that I have grown to become more social. Going to football games, being in different groups, joining clubs, and meeting so many new people has expanded my horizon, and now I look forward to seeing what I can do with my friends. While college has been much different than high school in numerous ways, I would say the new experiences that I have been exposed to have developed my character and personality into something better than what I was before. And I’m sure my own personal development and story will not stop here, but only continue to grow as the years go by.

 

The Ups and Downs of College

College is perhaps one of the most defining and influential periods of time in a person’s life. It is a time of change, development, realizations, conflict, and victory. While I am not even in the second semester of my first year, I have certainly already received a taste of what is to come.

Image result for ohio state university

Already, college has been different in so many different ways than anything else I have experienced in my life. From the non-academic changes like learning to live away from family, learning to do laundry and buy food, and learning how to make new friends, all the way to the academic changes and challenges, such as much more individual responsibility to turn in assignments, learning to study responsibly, and learning to balance work vs personal time. In all honesty, I still am learning how to master all of the topics mentioned above, including many more.

Several times I felt like I  wanted to quit and drop out because I did not know how to react to all of these new responsibilities and changes. Other times I have felt like college is awesome and it is an amazing experience to live on my own and be who I truly am. And even though I know my life and experience at college will continuously change while I am here, I know that there will always be ups and downs, and that will be perhaps one of my biggest challenges to overcome. However, one of the best ways to learn anything is by actually going out and doing it, so I might as well give it the old college try.