What I’ve Learned Since Entering College

If there’s anything new that I’ve learned since entering college, it’s to never give up. Because once you fall, it will be hard to get back up again. We all struggle at one point or another, and I feel that college has allowed some of us to be brought down a peg or two. With this in mind, college has become a conduit to instill humility to those of us who may need it the most. For example, if you ever see someone setting themselves up for failure, then you should reach out and help them. We may not know at the time what may have happened, but it would be futile to look at all the ‘what if’s. Every now and then we may see ourselves having our own ups and downs, but I guess life is full of challenges that we must be able to overcome to see what tomorrow may have in store for us.

Entering college has given me a reality check on who I am and where I want to be in the future. In fact, to say that freshman year was an easy one would be a blatant lie. As a millennial, I feel that there is a constant pressure for me to strive for perfection because that is what society and social media expects from my generation. However, I am only human and I firmly believe that all the other college freshmen out there can relate as well, especially when asked what their major is. Regardless of what others may think, there is no diverging difference that should set us apart. In the long run, it doesn’t matter if you’re a liberal arts student or business major because we’re all just students who want to get their degrees with a decent paying job.

Personally, whenever someone asks me what my major is, I hesitate before answering. It’s not that I’m afraid of what they’ll think of me. Instead, it’s more of what they’ll expect from me and assume what my capabilities are. As a mechanical engineering major, I have learned that we are just like everyone else. There’s the constant struggle and stress to succeed, panic over late night assignments and relief once you’ve found the perfect study group. Once the anxiety has washed away, you start to think in ways you’ve never thought possible. What was once a convoluted problem set has now become a stepping stone to solve other problems that may become a daily occurrence, such as the nuisance of the shower drain getting clogged and the long walk from your bed to turn off the light. To solve these problems, you’d have to create innovative ideas so that a plausible solution will come to mind.

After surviving almost a full semester, I can proudly say that I am confident in myself and what I’ve accomplished thus far. Being an engineering student was no walk in the park. Especially when insecure thoughts such as “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t do this” would arise. To be honest, it’s not easy being in a major that is predominantly filled with males who would look down at you just because you are a female. However, that does not give someone the right to ostracize someone else. No one should belittle another person for their gender or anything else that may set them back from the majority. It’s okay to be different and people should be accepting of others for who they are as a person rather than an outlier on a data sheet.

With this in mind, we live in a world where anything can become possible. Looking back at the past will do you no justice because we must focus on the present and what is truly in front of us. Students should be at peace with themselves and not contemplate if something was worth it or not because we’ve all been there, done that. Justifying your actions for “ludicrous” decisions have no hold on your future because it is ever changing. And if there’s one thing that my major has taught me, it’s to believe in myself even when things get tough and arduous. In hindsight, you could say that life is full of beautiful learning experiences, and college is one of them. You and only you can change your destiny and the true question to ask here is, “Which path do you choose to take…the road less traveled or the one taken by most?”