It has taken me a long time and battling alone to realize that college isn’t for everyone, and that is okay.
Going into my senior year, I’ve realized that my thoughts on college have changed every step of the way, which is a normal part of the experience. That being said, I still sometimes question whether this was the right path for me, even with graduation looming.
If you were to ask for my thoughts on college during my freshman year, I would have made it sound like a nightmare.
It was hard to adjust to being away from home for the first time, as many can imagine. Overwhelming feelings ended up taking over, and it stayed that way for quite some time. I just couldn’t seem to shake this funk, no matter what I tried.
To be honest, it was my own mindset that led me to feel that way about college. I wasn’t taking advantage of this new opportunity of freedom, and found myself complaining about the nature of college life, often stating that I would much rather be at work.
This mindset started to plague how I viewed the college experience. I was going to classes four days a week with this chip on my shoulder about being there, pushing away friends and loved ones without realizing it and overall kept making decisions that were destroying my own mental health. I could no longer see the value in college, and my academics began to suffer because of it. After spring break, when it was far too late, I realized something needed to shift.
It wasn’t an instant switch, but something flipped and I knew the only way things were going to improve was by my choices. I didn’t have to love every waking minute of college, but I knew that I needed to find value in it.
I started to enjoy the small things, like planning to do homework with friends and meeting them in study rooms. This was also the time I realized I wanted to switch into the journalism and technical communication program, after thinking about how much I enjoyed my newspaper classes in high school.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that ‘success’ isn’t one-size-fits-all. For some, success might mean completing a degree while for others it might mean taking a different route.
The problem comes when society makes us feel like we’re failing if we don’t follow a specific path. I’ve found that sometimes it’s best to walk away from the traditional route if it doesn’t fit.
By my sophomore year, I could really see the shift in my mindset. The decision to switch into the JTC program was a pivotal moment for me. It wasn’t just an academic change; it felt like a real momentum shift.
After I got used to my classes, I decided to take up a freelance position with the Ferris State Torch. This is where I found a love for writing again and felt like I had a purpose. I was finally in my element.
But as life often does it threw my family and me a curveball. That summer of 2023 my dad and I were in a severe car accident that changed everything. My dad suffered life-altering injuries, losing his ability to work after spending two months in the hospital. Seeing him in that amount of pain and not being able to just be our dad really took a toll on me and my family.
I had to deal with smaller injuries of my own, and some were so severe that I had no choice but to medically withdraw from school for the entire fall semester.
It was a dark time for me, not just because of the physical recovery but because I felt like I was losing my connection to school, my peers and The Torch.
But even in that downtime, I didn’t give up on my goals. Despite not being on campus, I kept my sights on returning. I knew I was missing out on valuable experiences but I also realized that I needed this time to reflect, reset and come back stronger.
When I returned in the spring of 2024 it was no easy feat but it was surely a comeback. I threw myself back into school and The Torch and gave them everything I had in me. I ended up being offered an editorial position at the end of the semester which was something I had always considered but never believed I had it in me.
All of this has made me realize that college isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. For some, it’s a place where you can test the waters of the real world, build your skills and discover your passions. But for others, college might not be the best fit and that’s perfectly valid too.
It’s all about knowing what you want from life and not letting society’s expectations dictate your path. College should be a place where you can grow but that doesn’t mean it’s the only place where growth happens.
For anyone reading this, my advice would be to really take the time to know what you want before you go to college. If you’re unsure, that’s okay and even if you end up regretting some of the choices you make, try to find value in them.
Take it from me. My journey wasn’t a straight line and I’ve definitely faced some tough moments where I question where I am at. But now, looking back, I can say I truly started from the bottom, and now I’m here.