I always thought that college was when everyone found the love of their life. Forget your education, focus on the people, settle down, and begin the rest of your life as soon as you can. Now, I am over halfway done with college, and I realize that it might not be the most realistic expectation after all. Sure, there might be amazing couples who meet right away during freshman year and are together forever, but that isn’t for everyone.

College is a time when people grow. For many people, it is their first time away from home, surrounded by people they have never met. It is a chance to really find yourself. You are given so many opportunities that you will only have in college, and not nearly enough time to do everything you might want to do. I see a lot of people thinking that, by the time graduation rolls around, you are supposed to have everything figured out, and there will never be another time to explore again. But that is not true. Our lives have barely begun when we get to college; we are just starting to live, so do not stress yourself out by trying to put your entire life together in these four years.

When I look back at myself during freshman year, she was not ready to meet the love of her life. I wasn’t sure of who I was, so how was I supposed to know what I wanted? Instead of finding my romantic love, I found love in other places. I found friends who I cannot imagine my life without, and people who I know will be there for the rest of my life. I found love in what I am doing, with my classes and majors and all of my work. And I have most importantly found love for myself and who I am becoming.

On graduation day, you might look in the mirror and see a completely different person than the one you saw during orientation freshman year. It is okay to explore and grow and change your plans, but you have to let your life change along with you. Whether or not you find a romantic connection here isn’t the most important thing; it is more important to truly love the person you have become.