I’ve been dealt a pretty crazy hand of cards during the last four years, but I have no doubt I played the hell out of them.

There’s nothing that prepares you for real world sh*t like college does so as the semester (and my college career) comes to a end, I wanted to reflect on what I’ve taken away from my success and my many failures throughout the last four years.

1. First of all, WOW am I thankful I went away for college, like several hours away. Leaving home and going to college in a place that’s been far enough away from my family to not be able to visit them when I want has allowed me to truly become my own individual and really grow. Getting out of your comfort zone and exposing yourself to new people and places forces yourself to learn and adapt on your own without your usual comfort zone. You become independent and learn how to be your best guidance. You learn that your parents aren’t perfect and neither are you and you learn the best way by being thrown into the water.
2. Partying is not everything in college. You’re probably thinking NO SH*T , but seriously. Going out and having fun was my #1 priority freshmen year, which is a common case for most freshmen who go to school far away. FOMO is a thing and when partying is your number one priority, grades start to slip, friendships start to falter and you have to reprioritize what’s important to you. I believe everyone kind of goes through this phase to put them in their place and on their path they’re supposed to be on.
3. I REALLY regret not going abroad. Going off of my last note, getting out of your comfort zone and just exploring really opens your eyes. I’ve already been out of the country twice and I can compare those experiences to nothing else. You realize how small your bubble at home really is. It’s nothing compared to what you read and see in books and online. Exposing yourself to the actual culture of places abroad is the best way to gain an understanding of our ever-changing and diverse world. I wish I had studied abroad for a semester in college because I love traveling and I love new experiences!
4. I cherish family time much more. Moving away from home only allowed me to see my family for Holiday breaks like Thanksgiving, Christmas and sometimes in the Summer. Going from being with them all the time to hardly seeing them throughout the year made me become so much more present when I’m with them and really not take time with them for granted.
5. I learned that well-balanced and good-hearted friends are the ones you need to keep. It’s important to keep the ones who know how to balance their friendships, relationships and everything else in life. It’s important to surround yourself with people who lift you up AND are real with you. No one is perfect and it’s important to keep the ones in your life who keep you in check and still make a positive impact on your life. Good friends are the ones you can have a great connection and be happy with even when you’re not partying. I’ve invested time into people I only had fun going out and partying with and they do nothing for you and your growth. Invest time into those who invest time into you.

I feel that I’ve never grown so much in a short span of four years more than I’ve grown in college. It really flies by! I’m super thankful for the opportunity to leave home and live on my own with the support of my parents.  I know it’s not always the case for everyone and it’s not easy, but if you can make it happen, by all means make it happen.

Happy Graduation to all the hard-working students out there! If there’s one more thing I’ve learned during college, it’s that “The devil works hard, but Kris Jenner works harder”, which I can translate as, the more effort you put into your life, the more you will get out of it. 

Here’s to one fulfilled crazy chapter of my life and Happy Graduation to many others! May we all work as hard as Kris Jenner.

xx, Bri.

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