“Enjoy it while it lasts. The four years you spend in undergrad will be the best of your life.” I twirl my headset cord as I hear the sentiment for the millionth time. I work as a student caller, which means I spend ten hours a week trying to connect with USC alumni over the phone. And without fail, they reminisce about the “glory days” of college. 

It’s not a sentiment I entirely disagree with, but my reasons differ. When I press the alumni I talk to for elaboration, they mention partying, friends and events. Their tone inevitably shifts as they lament their boring lives post-graduation, struggling to find a job or to find their place in this world. 

But is this pattern really so unavoidable? I don’t think so. For every sad, wistful alum I speak to, I talk to another one who is happy and satisfied with their life. And so, I’ve made it my mission to become one of them.

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The first thing I’ve noticed is that the dominant culture at USC embodies a “work hard, play hard” mentality, one in which students boast about how little sleep they got during midterm season and then go partying the next day. However, you simply don’t have to subscribe to this philosophy. I’ve seen many of my peers exploring the terms of their newfound independence by hitting frat row, drinking and skipping classes, often simply because that is what they think they should be doing. 

If you are someone to whom that sounds great, all power to you! But if not, you might be yet another victim of the lie of the “best four years of your life.” That being said, there certainly are ways to turn college into a wonderful, transformative experience that does not end with graduation but follows you throughout your life. And it all starts with self-reflection. 

For me, college was a total reset. I didn’t have a built-in friend group, so I spent a lot of time alone at first. And I honestly loved it. In fact, I’ve discovered that I need a lot of alone time to feel like my best self and that when I need to do some emotional regulating, it only tires me out to have people around. I’ve spent a lot of time walking across campus to get to classes, extracurriculars and the dining halls, and I’ve now discovered that walking is a great way for me to calm myself down, to cheer myself up or to find inspiration.

These are insights that I’m incredibly grateful for and that I’m sure will be a boon to me as I progress through my education and my life. It is these discoveries that I remind myself of when I need proof that I’m growing in college, and I’m fascinated by the fact that none of this growth has come from a salacious fling or a crazy party, as the media and those around me have led me to believe. I’m living my coming-of-age dreams; they just happen to be coming from the time I’ve spent alone with my thoughts. 

And this is certainly not a concept that I’ve invented. In fact, many colleges offer some form of course or program centered around the idea of fostering self-reflection. Although it is not quite the same, USC offers a number of mindfulness programs through Mindful USC. Mindfulness and self-reflection are very related practices, so I trust that anyone interested in self-reflection but not knowing where to begin could find a lot of value in USC’s mindfulness opportunities. 

Ultimately, every person is different, and no two paths toward a fulfilling college experience will be the same. These can be some of the best years of your life if you want them to, and they can also be years that set you up for a satisfying, happy life beyond graduation. So enjoy everything new you’re experiencing, and then take a moment to close your eyes and look inwards.