When I got to college, I was fairly certain that I was going to graduate at 19-years-old as a marketing major without a group of friends, and I was content with that. Believe it or not, none of those things will be happening, and I’m even happier now. 

Recently, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on how much I value spending time with those around me. I have been meditating on this specially with the breaks coming up, and I couldn’t imagine my time at college being spent with any other people. 

While I am excited to get a week away from classes, I am also dreading leaving my friends yet again. The first time I had to leave my friend group it was difficult because I have spent my entire life in the same small town and had all of my friends live close to me. 

Now, most of my friends are from Chicagoland or near St. Louis and we can’t often visit over breaks, fall, winter or otherwise, which is really unfortunate, but a part of life. 

I have had my horizons broadened so vastly by so many people, and I didn’t expect that to happen before I moved to college.  

More than anything I would recommend reaching out to those around you. I have made almost all of my friends by hanging out in common areas, talking to people in my classes and being active in group chats. While I cannot vouch for RSO’s, as I have only been in one this semester, they seem to also be a good avenue.  

When I started college I thought that I wouldn’t need to join things or get to know people in order to have a good time at college, but that just isn’t true for me. It’s partially because I’m a very outgoing person, but also because humans are inherently social creatures and need others to survive in a healthy fashion. 

The social scene that college provides is not replicated almost anywhere else in life, so despite the pandemic, while still being as safe as possible, I am trying to embrace all that I can even though I have never had a “normal” college experience.  

More than anything I try to stay aware and humble about the ability to live with my friends and spend nearly every evening with them. I know that I only have the ability to do this for a couple more years, and I will be cherishing every second of it. 

In all honesty, I am writing this column as I sit with a group of my best friends in life, and there is nowhere else I would rather be.  

Maya Kurth is a sophomore public relations major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].