by Rachel
When I first went off to college I did not have the fun time I thought I would have. I thought that going away to college would open up my life, that I would make all kinds of new friends and get involved in activities and just enjoy myself. However, it did not work out that way. I hid in my dorm room most of the time, my nose stuck in my books.
Why didn’t I have the fun time I thought I would? I let fear run my life. I was so afraid of messing up. Of being one of those kids you hear about that go away to college and go crazy getting drunk and making out with everyone and just being a jerk. I did not want that. But instead of relying on myself and knowing that I had the power to say no, I hid from the world. It was one of the loneliest times of my life.
Thankfully I was wise enough to transfer to a smaller school closer to home. This school did not allow me to hide away. I was required to participate at least a little. Over time I learned that who you are as a person does not change when you are away from home. The same morals and guidelines that you have in your life when you are young are the ones that will influence your life as you get older.
Do not let fear run your life. Instead, embrace the opportunity to learn more about who you are and what you enjoy. College should be the time in your life where you get to experience different activities and opportunities to discover what you want to do with your life. Do not hide away or become so focused on what you are ‘supposed’ to do that you forget to enjoy your opportunities.
Author Bio: Rachel is an ex-babysitting pro as well as a professional writer and blogger. She is a graduate from Iowa State University and currently writes for www.babysitting.net. She welcomes questions/comments which can be sent to rachelthomas.author @ gmail.com.