Life is all about the journey,not the destination.

When I think of coming to college, I think of a quote by Liz Gilbert in the movie “Eat, Pray, Love.”

It states,

“If you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting (which can be anything from your house to your bitter old resentments) and set out on a truth-seeking journey (either externally or internally), and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue, and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher, and if you are prepared-most of all- to face (and forgive) some very difficult realities about yourself…then truth will not be withheld from you.”

This is exactly what coming to college is like, especially if you decide to live on campus. I came into the residence halls not knowing anyone. I left the comfort and familiarity of my home, an area that covers 11.5 square miles, to live in a residence hall full of a ton of people that I had no idea I would even get along with. I was this shy, quiet girl setting foot into the real world, or what I thought was the real world at the time.

The past three years of college have been a journey.  Through every person I met, I have learned so much about myself and my career path. The people who I have come in contact with have really opened my eyes. Each and every person has taught me something and has helped steer me into the right direction. You’d be surprised; all it takes is one person to change your life forever. For example, one person especially has helped me discover some “very difficult realities about myself” that I didn’t even notice. I would of never of thought that this person would be a part of my life. But, I ran into them one day in the Vandenberg Dining Center and life has never been the same since. Through this key person and many others that I have met along my “journey,” I have overcome some bad habits. One habit in particular has helped me view the world differently. I never noticed how much a negative thinker I used to be until someone pointed it out. Changing my thought process from a negative into a positive thinker has really made a huge difference.

People are not the only things that can change your life forever; it could also be an experience. I’d like to call one of my notable experiences, “The art of growing up.”  During my freshmen year at Oakland there were times where I would just sit in my room and think, college is so freaking hard, especially having to live on my own. Trying to figure out when to do laundry, when to study, how to work with people 24/7, how to still have fun, and when to eat can become extremely stressful. But eventually you figure it out, and these things start to become second nature. Sooner than you know it, you think wow; I’m growing up, look at how much I’ve learned already.  There have also been many other experiences that have led me to who I am today, but I would have not taken them if I didn’t have an open mind. So, when you come to college, make sure you make the most of it. Join clubs, go to programs, be yourself, and always keep your head up.

If I could give any piece of advice to incoming freshmen it would be to not be afraid of the unknown. There is a reason for whatever comes your way in the future. College specifically, is a totally amazing journey. Usually the first step in a journey is the hardest. However, deciding to become a Golden Grizzly was the first step you took. So now the hard part is done with and all you have to do is keep going. Don’t worry about the future and live in the moment.

The ending line to the quote by Liz Gilbert states, “… then the truth with not be withheld from you.” As the years of college go by, you will in fact start to learn the truth about yourself, your career path and the world around you. However, one thing that you do find out is that college is just one chapter of your life. There are many more to come but well, you’ll figure that out later. For now, it’s just one step at a time. J