Lessons from my college experience
Anna Dinndorf
Issue date: 5/5/08 Section: Forum
I don't know if I necessarily have anything particularly insightful to say here. After all, my college experience was probably pretty typical. I double majored in psychology and math. I was very involved in my two extra-curriculars (StudLife and club rugby) and didn't do much else. I had a job working in a psych lab. I went out with friends. I dated. Sometimes, I drank more than I should have. I got fairly good grades. I made mistakes. I had fun. I learned.
We all come to Wash. U. to learn, specifically to get an education from a prestigious university that we can then use when trying to get a job or otherwise move on in life after graduation. But necessary as that logistical stuff is, the most important things I learned in college I didn't learn in a classroom.
I know everyone says that, and I'm going to try not to make this into one giant cliché. Instead of preaching to you about the college experience, etc. etc., let me just share with you a couple of valuable lessons I learned in college.
You can't change people. I know that many will try to argue with me on this one. Don't. If you think you can change someone, you're wrong. I managed to get myself into this situation on more than one occasion, and believe me, it doesn't work. People don't change unless they want to. You can't make them, no matter how hard you try.
Most of the time, things aren't as catastrophic as you think they are. We all get into situations where we think everything is terrible and the world is going to end. Guess what? You'll get through it. I've noted over the years that things have a way of working themselves out. Life may seem terrible now, but give it a few days, or even a few weeks or months. Eventually, things will even out again.
School doesn't really matter that much. Obviously school does matter, and it's important to get decent grades and make an effort in classes and whatnot. But school is not everything. If you're studying all the time, you're going to miss out on so many experiences and opportunities that you're never going to get again. You're in your early 20s. Enjoy it while you've got it.
If you're not happy, make a change. The great thing about college is that you have so many opportunities to do the things that you enjoy. So why stick with something that's making you miserable? If you don't like your major, change it. If you're unhappy in an activity or club, quit and try something else. Experiment. That's what this time is for, and you're not going to have this kind of freedom after you graduate. Enjoy it while you can.
Treasure your friendships. There are a lot of bad people out there, but there are also some pretty incredible ones. Some of the best people I know in my life, I met here. There is nothing more valuable than a friend who cares about you and you can rely on. Hang on to the good ones and they'll be with you to the end.
I probably haven't said anything here that is particularly surprising or earth-shattering. But I think that at times, like right before that orgo test or while frantically finishing a paper before the 5 p.m. deadline, we can all lose sight of what really matters, not only in college but in life. We're here to get an education, yes, but we're also here to learn how to be adults. We come to Wash. U. as na've 18-year-olds excited to escape our old lives, and leave as seasoned 22-year-olds ready to start our new lives. Somewhere in between we grow up. We may do it in completely different ways, and some of us may do it more than others, but we all get there. And when it comes down to it, getting there is what really matters.
Anna Dinndorf is graduating from the college of Arts & Sciences. She is the former production chief of Student Life and can be reached by e-mail at adinndorf@gmail.com.
We all come to Wash. U. to learn, specifically to get an education from a prestigious university that we can then use when trying to get a job or otherwise move on in life after graduation. But necessary as that logistical stuff is, the most important things I learned in college I didn't learn in a classroom.
I know everyone says that, and I'm going to try not to make this into one giant cliché. Instead of preaching to you about the college experience, etc. etc., let me just share with you a couple of valuable lessons I learned in college.
You can't change people. I know that many will try to argue with me on this one. Don't. If you think you can change someone, you're wrong. I managed to get myself into this situation on more than one occasion, and believe me, it doesn't work. People don't change unless they want to. You can't make them, no matter how hard you try.
Most of the time, things aren't as catastrophic as you think they are. We all get into situations where we think everything is terrible and the world is going to end. Guess what? You'll get through it. I've noted over the years that things have a way of working themselves out. Life may seem terrible now, but give it a few days, or even a few weeks or months. Eventually, things will even out again.
School doesn't really matter that much. Obviously school does matter, and it's important to get decent grades and make an effort in classes and whatnot. But school is not everything. If you're studying all the time, you're going to miss out on so many experiences and opportunities that you're never going to get again. You're in your early 20s. Enjoy it while you've got it.
If you're not happy, make a change. The great thing about college is that you have so many opportunities to do the things that you enjoy. So why stick with something that's making you miserable? If you don't like your major, change it. If you're unhappy in an activity or club, quit and try something else. Experiment. That's what this time is for, and you're not going to have this kind of freedom after you graduate. Enjoy it while you can.
Treasure your friendships. There are a lot of bad people out there, but there are also some pretty incredible ones. Some of the best people I know in my life, I met here. There is nothing more valuable than a friend who cares about you and you can rely on. Hang on to the good ones and they'll be with you to the end.
I probably haven't said anything here that is particularly surprising or earth-shattering. But I think that at times, like right before that orgo test or while frantically finishing a paper before the 5 p.m. deadline, we can all lose sight of what really matters, not only in college but in life. We're here to get an education, yes, but we're also here to learn how to be adults. We come to Wash. U. as na've 18-year-olds excited to escape our old lives, and leave as seasoned 22-year-olds ready to start our new lives. Somewhere in between we grow up. We may do it in completely different ways, and some of us may do it more than others, but we all get there. And when it comes down to it, getting there is what really matters.
Anna Dinndorf is graduating from the college of Arts & Sciences. She is the former production chief of Student Life and can be reached by e-mail at adinndorf@gmail.com.
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