College

It's been about 2-3 months I've been in college now. The process had been exciting (for sure), but rough at times.

I'm always keen on change. I love being put into new situations. From moving into my dorm, to living on my own, to first class and first frat party, from joining a sorority to joining the college newspaper, a lot of things have changed. Change brings joy, and I welcome it with open arms. But change also brings some challenges to the mix too.

I've realized that life is full of hard choices, ranging anywhere from "Do I really need that second cup of Starbucks today?" to "What will realistically fit into my schedule?" I've realized that I can't be Wonder Woman, as much as I'd love to be. I can't do everything I want, when I want. Choices and priorities are a harsh reality of life.

I also realized that, in life, you'll constantly be put into positions where you feel like you're at the bottom. You'll feel so inexperienced, stupid, and useless due to your stupidity. Especially freshman year, when talking to your News Editor at the paper intimidates the heck out of you, and when you see the Editor-In-Chief walk into the room, it's basically like seeing Jill Abramson (not to mention she kinda looks like a young version of her). People will be so much better than you, even people in your own age! Especially in DC, competition for internships is intense and comparing resumes is a habit. You'll think: How did he get that internship? How come I didn't get it?! It's a competitive world, and it starts now.

I also recently realized that people will tell you, straight-up, that you suck. Your Law professor will tell you that your writing is horrendous. You'll send your News Editor an article to be published, only to see that she re-wrote the entire thing before it went out to print. People will question your "strengths" and make you second guess yourself. People will make you reconsider if you'll ever be a good journalist, or if you should even think about going to law school. You just have to march to the beat of your own drum and keep moving forward. “The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.” - A "Mulan" quote I always keep with me. Trying times are times for trying. Just because people don't believe in you, doesn't mean you give up on yourself.

The last of the recent revelations is this: Friends are fantastic, but at the end of the day, the only one who will really have your back is yourself. If anything college teaches you that: a) Being a person is pretty darn expensive. b) You have to be ok being alone. Independence is a big part of college; I think people who are comfortable being alone thrive in this setting. Being alone doesn't mean you are lonely, it just means that you're ok with being with yourself. You don't need a boyfriend texting you every five seconds. You don't need a random hookup every night to feel loved. You don't need to go out to the club everyday of every weekend. Having "you" time is such a key part to your eventual growth as a person, and I think people don't treasure this as much as they should.

But, those have been the big things since moving to DC. I still can't believe that I can officially say that I live on the East Coast. It's so surreal and exciting!

More updates later? If time allows...

- Julia :)