As I finish up my last semester at Auburn, I find myself reflecting on my college experience.

I’ve been through a lot of change, all of which has taught me about myself. From this, I can now confidently say I wish I knew a lot of things sooner. From a graduating senior to you, here are a few lessons I’ve learned over my past four years.

1.) It’s okay to change your major!

By junior year, my friends would simply laugh when I told them I was considering changing my major, yet again. I came into college as pre-veterinarian just because I loved animals. I stuck with that major for freshman year, but once I realized I had no real interest in becoming I veterinarian, it was a time for a change.

I was embarrassed that I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I ended up changing my major to interior design, then to exercise science, then to counseling and communications, and finally to marketing and communication, while also considering architect, graphic design, and nutrition as other feasible options.

So, I’ve been all over the place, but now I take pride in that. I didn’t let the fear of change hold me back from pursuing something else when my desires changed. The best part: I don’t have any lingering “what if’s.”

2.) Make friendships a priority.

In your four years at Auburn, you’re going to go through a lot of change. Having a solid friend group to guide and support you will be crucial. My friend group changed over the course of my college career, but the benefits of having a friend group never did. Join different clubs, go to social events, and don’t be scared to ask someone you just met to hang out. You won’t regret the opportunity to make some new friends; I know I never did.

3.) Do the things you’re scared to do.

I’m going to start with a disclaimer… I was incredibly introverted and terrified to talk to new people at the beginning of college.

As a freshman, I saw that there was a wakeboarding club. It sounded fun, but I was too scared to join. It took until sophomore year for me to finally go for a group ride at Lake Martin. About 10 minutes before I had to leave, I was so nervous that I started crying. Yikes!

Well, I worked up the courage and it was a bit awkward at first, but I ended up making some of my closest friends and having fun. All this to say, don’t let fear hold you back from something that you’re interested in. You most likely won’t regret going, but you’ll probably regret missing out on an opportunity.

4.) It’s okay to feel lost.

Still not sure what you’re doing with your life? Ditto, and I’m about to graduate! Before college, my life was school, gymnastics, and a lack of social life. I had a routine and felt like I had everything planned out. Once I arrived at college, my goal was to quickly find my new routine and commit to that.

Well, that never really happened. Gymnastics was not as fulfilling as I had imagined, I couldn’t find a major that felt like me, I didn’t have close friends, and I felt incredibly lost. It honestly took me until senior year to realize that feeling lost was actually normal and that I could fully embrace the opportunity. I used to be scared and irritated that I couldn’t figure out my life’s plan, but now I know that there’s more room to explore and have fun when you’re simply trying to learn and grow.

College can be intimidating, but don’t feel like you have to have your life planned out. Take advantage of this time to pursue different interests, make friends with different types of people, and don’t let fear hold you back from the things you want to do most!

Be well, Auburn.

Photography: Ashley S.