Reflecting on my First Year of College in California

In this episode, one of my closest pals, Emma Grace Condon, returns. This time, however, she is asking me the questions. We cover the changes I have seen in myself as a result of the past year of living away from home, and we unpack why it is that no one wants to talk about how lonely the transition can be. We also discuss where I land on the introvert/extrovert spectrum, how much we hate ice breakers, how both good and bad change is hard, finding the lifestyle that brings you the most joy, the stereotype of college students becoming liberals, and what I missed most about Louisiana. My first year of college was a combination of exceeded and unmet expectations. managing disappointment and relishing the freedom of independence. learning so much I was fairly certain my brain would explode and unlearning concepts/ideologies that no longer fit with my values. I'm not exactly sure why it's so rare to receive advice about the difficulties of freshman year of college, but it is. And that lack of transparency and honesty about the painful reality of life away from home made the struggle I felt in my first semester extremely isolating. Come to find out I wasn't alone in my struggle. Not even a little. The fight to establish a new identity with no external expectations while holding on tightly to the parts of myself I hoped to keep was both empowering and terrifying. I no longer had the safety net of my family and friends who had known me my whole life to remind me of my character when I was feeling lost. All I had was myself. I always said I wanted to leave home so that I could become an individual outside of the expectations the people in my life had unwittingly placed on me, but when the time came, was I ready? I wasn't... but I don't think anyone ever is. I think that's part of the bravery of it all. Stepping into something you're not ready for but learning how to manage along the way. In retrospect, I recognize the courage it took to move across the country and start from scratch with friendships and with myself. I also recognize the bravery and vulnerability it took for me to show up authentically every day to new and unknown people, striving for deep connection. It may feel like I just gave away the entire episode, but there's so much more, so, Let's dive in! Song: Little Freak by Harry Styles