College is a great time to re-invent yourself – not in the “become some totally fake version of yourself just to be liked by others” sense, but in the “I’ve always wanted to try that” way. Were there things you wanted to be involved in high school that you just never found time for? Perhaps a sport you were never truly confident in or a part-time job that seemed a little too intimidating?
I’ve definitely grown and matured throughout my time at Christopher Newport, and a lot of that is due to trying new things! Upon entering my freshman year, I decided I would become a runner (of sorts). Now, as a senior, I have two half-marathons and a host of other races behind me … and I’m on the lookout for my next! This change didn’t happen overnight. It took months and months of making myself jog short distances until I could build up the strength to run for longer amounts of time.
So, maybe running’s not your thing. That’s completely OK. However, you should explore at least one new opportunity that college provides, just to see if you like it! Start small and grab sushi for dinner one night, or go all in and rush Greek life or apply for an on-campus job. Most of us have just four years here, so I encourage you to branch out of your comfort zone and see what new adventures await!