Monday: Learning

welcome to BSU Blogfest Day 1!

today's theme is Learning.

I have learned a lot in my 20 (almost 21) years of life.

we could talk about what I've learned from class, what I've learned about family, what I've learned about friendships, what I've learned about myself,

I could continue going on and on.

but I think I learned the most in my first year of college.

some of you may already know that I didn't attend Bridgewater State University (aka college #2) for my first year of college. I actually went to another school. I transferred to BSU for my sophomore year.

I didn't know what to expect when I first went to college. I was a good student and did everything by the book in high school. I didn't get in trouble, got mostly As and tried hard to stay that way.

when I first got to college #1, I wasn't overly worried about living away from home. my parents raised me to be a pretty independent person, so the independence factor wasn't too troublesome for me. I've always been mature for my age. I knew I was going to school to get an education first and foremost.

what I didn't realize was the things I would learn about myself and the big world outside of the small town life I grew up in. I made a couple of friends that first month and got to know them. but when october of my freshmen year came around I learned a lot about trust. if you aren't careful about those you trust when you get to know someone, that trust you instill in them can come back and bite you in the butt.

I learned that the world is not perfect. terrible things happen to people and this can influence the way they act. when you get yourself mixed up with these people, you can be put into some difficult positions. I had to face the consequences for my so called friend's actions.

on top of this situation I faced, I also lost my grandmother in November of my freshmen year. she had been sick all my life. it was hard losing her. she was an integral part of my childhood and I learned that it doesn't do you any good to whine and complain about things in life. my grandmother had her good and her bad days, yet she never complained.

I tried not to let all of these things affect my schoolwork and finished the semester doing well in a majority of my classes.

over winter break the feelings and pressure I felt about everything that I went through during those first 4 months of school hit me all at once. I had one big anxiety attack. but luckily, I learned how to handle this anxiety I was feeling and I learned that crying is not a bad thing :)

I wasn't happy after my first semester of college. not just because of everything that had happened. I wasn't happy sitting in my room all the time. I did join college #1s version of Program Committee, but wasn't enjoying being a member.

over that winter break I learned that I did not want to stay at a school where I wasn't happy. I couldn't see myself graduating from college #1. that was the most important thing for me.

that's when I applied to BSU. I had visited my friends who went here their first year and loved it. I had applied here when I was in high school, but I wanted to try something different from my friends. to try out that independent deal.

I was accepted and made it through the second semester of college #1. after I left college #1 I never regret going there. one of the other many things I learned was how to branch out and try different things. I grew up that first year and I got a better understanding of the outside world.

but let me just say I'm thrilled to have been at BSU the last 2 years. I've learned so much and grown even more. I can see myself graduating from here next year and while it is a daunting thought, I know I'm happier now learning everything I did that first year.

so is there something that you have learned that made a big impact on you?

:)