How do I ensure that college allows me to grow and become the person I am, but doesn’t change all of the things that I like about myself?

I definitely agree with Austin, college is the time when you get to keep figuring out who you are. It is often a big step in your journey to being self sufficient. Before college, there are lots of people who are invested in your future and well being surrounding you almost 24/7. In college, that number significantly decreases. While your professors and friends will want you to be happy and succeed, they are not making sure you show up for class, making sure you eat your veggies, and making sure you don't go to too many parties. The amazing part of college is that you get to make those choices, but you also have to deal with the consequences. If you don't go to class or go to too many parties, your grades will suffer, and if you don't eat your veggies, you might get sick (you can only survive on just pizza for so long). What makes you who you are, are the choices you make.

I encourage you to practice some self evaluation and figure out what you like about yourself on a deeper level. If you like your study habits, maybe you are someone who wants to get a good job after college, are someone who likes to learn new things, or you are someone who needs to force yourself to study. Try and determine what drives you. If you aren't sure, I encourage you to read up on and take the Enneagram Test. It is a personality test similar to the Myers-Briggs, but instead of explaining how you act, it explains why you act, what drives you, and what you fear. Having a better understanding of yourself will help you make decisions as you enter college.

In the end, you are the decisions you make. You may get pressured to make certain choices, but in the end it is your decision. That is the amazing and terrifying fact about college. If you don't want to chance and are strong enough to say no, you probably won't change. Feel empowered to maybe stretch your comfort zone a little, because I know I changed for the better in college as a result of a couple silly decisions. As my mother put it, there is stupid, and there is stupid you can't come back from.

Morgan, interesting question. You are correct in that college is time where you will grow and mature in ways that largely make you the person that you are as an adult. This isn't to say that you won't change after college, just that many habits are developed in college that will serve you in your early adult years. Change is a good thing and you should not fear it; change is a natural part of life and it happens to us all. You are different now than you were as a 5 years old; are you "worse" now than when you were five, no you just are more mature and different. This is the same kind of thing as the changes that occur in college, you will change in some ways and in other ways perhaps not; this isn't a bad thing, it's life.

Confidence and knowing who you are as a person will serve you well in college. If you are confident in who you are as a person then you will do fine. Know your limits and approach things with confidence, this is the best way to be prepared for college and life in general. Now, to address your party point: going to parties and your grades/GPA are not directly correlated, if you go to a party your grades won't magically drop from 94% to 84%. So long as you are able to balance your social life with your academic life you will do fine. College is not all about academics and if you remain in the library all day not socializing you will end up missing a huge part of college. By no means am I advocating going to social event/parties everyday, all I am saying is that social life is an important part of college and you should not be afraid of it. People who go to parties everyday will likely find it difficult to do well academically, so it is important to balance all aspects of college. Too much studying and "indoor" time is equally detrimental as socializing and partying.

I hope this helps, I wish you the best on your college journey!!

Best,

Austin