| Editor's Note: Caitlin Emmons is a sophomore at the University of California at Santa Cruz. |
| Caitlin's College Blog By: Caitlin Emmons Learning the Life Lessons… Outside the Classroom I’ve said it once, I will probably say it every other column until I graduate, but college is a learning experience. However, it’s about maturing emotionally as much as academically. These are by far the hardest lessons to learn in life, let alone when you are also supposed to be cramming your brain with all the knowledge it can hold. But I am a firm believer that everything happens when it is supposed to so it makes sense to me that now would be the best time for the life changing lessons. Life lesson #1: Be okay being alone. Living in the dorms generally means you are constantly surrounded by people, both people that you like and ones that you don’t appreciate so much. In the time you live there you will probably forget what living alone feels like. I moved off campus with my best friend this year and now that we are half way through the year, we’re realizing that spending all of our time together means we have isolated ourselves from our other friends but have also stopped spending time alone. Too much time with anyone can turn a great relationship into a horrible one in very little time. Make sure you schedule time to be alone and lost in your own thoughts. This rule also applies if you are living in the dorms with roommates. Life Lesson #2: Don’t have expectations. I have spent so much of my time meeting people and imaging all the great things that could come of such a meeting and often times it results in absolutely nothing. I find myself disappointed and often blaming myself. Maybe it’s just a coincidence for me, but as soon as I stop looking at every chance encounter as some type of fate things start working out. Let’s hope I don’t jinx it for myself by spilling the new secret to success. Life Lesson #3: Leave the drama in high school. College is when you are supposed to become an adult. Last time I checked, respectable adults don’t spend all their time gossiping about so and so. Now is when you can change that nasty habit. Appreciate everyone for who or what they are and don’t play into immature games. You’ll be happier with yourself if you can comfortably say that your life is drama-free… by choice. These may be clichés, but so far this new year has made me see that life can always improve even when you think its perfect. Think positively, but don’t over think everything or everyone. People will come into your life when the time is right. Once you let life take its course you will be infinitely happier with the results regardless of what you originally thought you wanted. |
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