5 Things I Would Change About My College Experience

Aug 26

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5 Things I Would Change About My College Experience

As August comes to an end, I’ve been seeing a lot of “Back To School” themes floating around and I could not help but reflect on my own college experience. It also happens to be 10 YEARS since I moved into my Belmont dorm (wow, that happened fast!), so I’ve felt a little nostalgic. For the most part, I look back fondly on those college years but there are a few things I would do differently and I think that these lessons can help shape the choices I make now. So, here are 5 things I’d do differently if I were to start college over again.

Choose The Major I Wanted Instead of The Major I Thought I Should Want

When you’re someone who has a lot of interests, it’s seriously so difficult to choose the right major. I even switched majors towards the end of my sophomore year because I realized that accounting was not for me (still trying to decide if dropping that class was a good idea). I originally chose a Music Business major from Belmont because I thought that it covered all my basis: creativity and real world smarts. The problem was, I had no interest in the nitty gritty business courses like accounting and finance. I eventually settled on Entertainment Industry Studies as my major, and though it sounds a little fluffy, I truly believe that it prepared me for what I was supposed to do with my life. Note to self, don’t force it. Listen to your gut. Listen to what the Lord is saying, even if it goes against what the world says is logical.

Be A Better Roommate

To be totally honest, I took my roomies for granted. Looking back, I had some of the best roommates EVER and they are all angels for putting up with my messy and unthoughtful self. Sharing a room for the first time was not my cup of tea. I wish I had spent more quality time getting to know my freshman year roommates even though we had different interests - they were both super sweet and smart women! I am actually still close with my other roommates but I still wish I had been more intentional with them.

Focus More On My Gal Pals

During college I was so focused on romantic relationships (aka the date Josiah, breakup, want to get back together saga) that I neglected my girlfriends! I am still close to many of these girls today, but much like my roommate reflections , I wish that I had spent more time developing our friendships and diving deeper into relationship with them during those formative years! Growing up, I never had many girlfriends but now that I do have great ones, I wish I had made more of an effort sooner!

Participate In More Clubs or Campus Events

Though I attended some basketball games and a few theatre productions, I really wish that I had been more active on campus. There are so many opportunities in college and I feel like I missed out on them because I was either just feeling lazy or didn’t want to put myself out there and try something new. I mean, Belmont had a rockwall that I could have tried for free at any time… but did I go? Nope. This can easily be translated into daily life now. There’s still opportunity for me to grow and learn, I just have to put myself out there!

Try New Electives

I was always interested in photography but never explored it in a class setting. Because I was so focused on my music while I was in college, I limited myself to only taking music and song writing courses as my electives and boxed myself in. Belmont (and most colleges) has such a great selection of elective courses that I wish I could take advantage of now! They are the perfect way to find out if an interest is just a hobby or something you'd like to pursue.

If you’re in college now I hope that my lessons are helpful to you! And if you’re already passed that stage in life, I hope you see how they can apply to your daily life!

And here are a few college throwback photos for your viewing pleasure...