I think everyone comes into college with a clear image in their head of what that next four years will look like. I know I did. It’s not always spot on unfortunately, and sometimes…that’s for the best. I came to college expecting a rambunctious environment full of hippies, socialists, and war-protesters that would chain themselves to classroom doors to get their messages across. Took me a while to realize I wasn’t attending UC Berkeley, but rather, the University of Rochester.
I’ve had a lot of angst the past couple of months regarding my choice of school. I think it happens to everyone. I had this perfect idea of what my college experience would be like. When I finally got to the University of Rochester it was so far from that idea that I couldn’t help to feel a little disappointed. But now, I see, that this is the perfect school for me. I feel so unlimited here because the culture here is so much different than I thought it would be. I’m so different from everyone else here. So many people here are focused on becoming doctors and joining fraternities/sororities while I spend my evenings contemplating about how I can revolutionize our current political system, or in our practice rooms singing my little heart out and writing my own songs. People here aren’t crazy socialists or artsy types like myself, in fact most of them are the opposite of that. And that, well, that gives ME the chance to shine. If I would’ve gone to a school like UC Berkeley, I’d be so overwhelmed by the similarities between myself and my peers that I would have either grown bored, or even worst grown disillusioned at seeing so many other people like and do the same things I like and be better at it than myself! Not to say that no one here at the U of R is better at me in the things I like to do…but you get my point.
Just because you don’t fit in 100{53c6eff5ce19621f7316832cfedf08caab022021f1679c62c3f44b8900ceaf72} at your school doesn’t mean it’s not the right school for you. This isn’t high school anymore. The point is, maybe you shouldn’t fit in, maybe you sticking out like a sore thumb in college is the best freaking thing that will ever happen to you, I know it feels that way for me, and I can’t tell you how much I love it.
With hopes & dreams intact,
Alex