"You never know how to deal with college until its over"

This was the quote that one of my mom's co-workers told her to tell me before I left for my first semester as a freshman at Penn State-Altoona. Of course I didn't believe it. I knew it may take a year, maybe even two, to get settled into the college routine, but I was wrong. Finally, in my last semester, his words ring true. What is funny though is that it just doesn't apply to only schoolwork, but also your personal involvement with clubs, the university, and your social life. Maybe it has partly to do with the fact that you want to cram everything in in 15 weeks and enjoy it as much as possible, but I truly believe that you don't figure it all out until the end. This is mainly because the college learning environment is just that: a learning environment. As you grow and mature into an adult, so do your habits, beliefs, and actions. You adapt and respond to situations very differently as you learn how to adjust to life on your own without the constant watching eyes of your parents or high school friends. Life is what you make it in college and sometimes it can deal you a harsh blow, but that is all part of the learning experience. You learn from failures AND successes and adjust yourself accordingly. Maybe that's why they made it 4 years; who knows. What I do know is that in the end only you can control you, which is why most people walk out after 4 years changed in some way, hopefully for the better. It's hard to imagine this transformation as a nieve freshman, but as a reflecting senior I can honestly say that there is truth to what my mom's friend said. Not to say that I regret not knowing how to deal with everything from the beginning, because I believe the fun and exciting part of college is being on your own AND learning to deal with all the change, good and bad. Sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are right in the middle of it all: all the studying, partying, friends, and just college life in general. But I do believe that after 4 years of learning, you will walk out a better person in at least some aspects; or at least more mature and knowledgeable. Maybe its not that you finally learn how to deal with college after 4 years, but maybe after 4 years you come to the realization that you have changed, and changed for the better. Whatever the reasoning, one thing is for sure. College is a unique time that is uniquely yours. Take it by the horns and run with it. And always remember to live it YOUR way, and after those 4 years u will have learned how to deal. I have.