So I turn 19 Monday.What. I must say I’ve been legitimately worried about transitioning into the college life. I was fifty percent worried I wouldn’t eat my normal seven meals a day (only mildly exaggerating) and fifty percent worried that I would spend all of my time alone in my room. This post will probably end up being incredibly boring... so if at any time you feel like you’re about to fall asleep don’t hesitate to close out of this page... I won’t mind.
So like I said... I was worried about transitioning into college. I don’t think any of my fears were unjustified, I was just anxious to start a new chapter of my life. But a combination of Nutella, buttered popcorn, Grand Theft Auto, and some insanely awesome people have made this transition far from painful.
I love college... for the most part. There’s something about Columbia, Missouri that’s just incredibly magical. The atmosphere is electrifying. The freedom is refreshing. Agnes the ghost lives in my room (don’t doubt it, campers, she’s really here) and that’s partly obnoxious but at the same time nostalgic.
There’s just enough of my past life that I was able to bring along with me (My viola, friends from camp, my best friend from Liberty, and lots of photos) that keep me comfortable. At the same time there’s so much new stuff (mostly new people) that keeps my life exciting.
There’s a certain bliss to being a people person in college. I feel like I’m meeting someone new everyday, which is probably far from unheard of at Mizzou. There’s a population of 30,000 people (don’t quote me on that) on this campus... which means there’s 30,000 people for me to potentially meet and befriend. The opportunities are endless. I’ve found my way into a group of friends (most of whom reside in the same res hall as me) that make me laugh on a daily basis.
Of course nothing can be perfect, and this time of my life is no exception. I won’t deny that I’m not a huge fan of my major. I thought viola performance would be the right fit for me. I realize I haven’t been here for too long (2 weeks and 2 days, actually) but so far I’m just not getting into it. It’s hard to find the motivation to go into a practice room, and I’m expected to practice three hours a day for six days a week. That’s a lot. I’m still passionate about music, and music is still an important aspect of my life, but I don’t think I was meant to be a performer or a teacher. I’m going to stick it out for the semester though. That gives me a few months to test the waters. I’ve always been told that college is a time for me to discover who I am. Past Tyler would have spent every waking moment worrying about this situation. I’m not worried. I have plenty of passions left for me to try out. Specifically I think I want to try my hand at writing or counseling. There’s a feeling in my gut telling me that one of those areas could be the thing for me to do.
I don’t want to sound carefree, but at this point I just want to go where my road leads me, instead of trying to build my own. It’s a little scary, yes, but hey, so is life. I choose to focus on the positives: I’m in an awesome town, at an amazing school, spending every day with amazing people that consistently challenge me to be a better me. I don’t think I would have gotten this from any other school, so I’m content in knowing that Mizzou was the right choice for me. I’m absolutely in love with my school.
I don’t know where my future leads. But I am confident that I like where it’s headed. Mistakes I make will be mistakes I learn from, and any triumphs will boost my confidence. I’m ready for the future.
I hope you’re having an amazing day, and I wish that many more in your immediate and distant future.
Tiger pride!
-- Tyler
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