College Life Is About Adaptation

If you want to succeed, learn to adapt.

During the fall of freshmen year at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, my history TA gave me advice about college that stuck with me to this day. He said:

“College is all about adaptation. Every semester, class, classmate, assignment, club, event, etc. will be different. You have to learn to adapt to the changed environment. If you don’t, expect to fall behind.”

I took his words to heart. Not only were they moving, but I related to them in such a way that spoke to me because I never knew what college was going to be like.

Like Medium, I dove into the waters of college and have been swimming ever since.

Just An Average Kid

College didn’t hit me until junior year of high school when classmates started talking about it. ACTs and SATs were approaching so most students fretted about them and how they were going to go to college.

Other kids were just going to work, stay at home, take a gap year or join the military. There was nothing wrong with those options either.

For me, college was the next step in life.

I never prepared for it. I just knew it came after high school.

When looking at colleges, I was just an average kid. At the time, I served as editor of the newspaper snd yearbook at the high school, playing trumpet in the band and served as president of Key Club, a volunteer club.

I never was an outstanding student. I didn’t fail classes either. I wasn’t an outstanding athlete or musician or artist.

I knew I had to adapt to the waters of college on my own.

I Am Making the Most of it

I began attending Illinois without knowing anything of the college life. But the more I tried and failed, the more I learned.

In the last three years, I’ve joined clubs like the football and basketball fan clubs, I serve as a senior columnist for the student newspaper, I’m part of a student concert committee which hosts nationally known bands.

I’ve made great, true friends in life. I’ve learned how to be a better student. I’ve learned how to make the most out of college.

I’m only here for four years so I’m doing everything I can now to soak it all in.

I’m learned how to adapt.

Every day is different for sure. That’s why I take it one day at a time. I’m adapting.

I don’t want to graduate not having done anything. I want to graduate with a degree and a lifetime full of memories.

Closing Thoughts

College is difficult, but it’s one of the most rewarding times in your life if you do it.

You don’t have to be an outstanding athlete or academically gifted student. You can be average in college snd still make the most out of it.

If you learn to adapt to the times in which you live, you don’t have to be anything else other than yourself.

Sometimes, average rules.