When entering college, one is bombarded with a number of different personality types and people that you typically won't know their particular background or what sort of person they really are. The best advice that I can give to anyone who is entering college is to surround yourself with really good people who help bring out the best in you and support you in your own endeavors.

This process of figuring out who is the best fit for you isn't an overnight thing either. It is very much a process of trial and error, and during the process you learn a lot about what type of people are the best fit for you. Similar interests are a good starting point. Next, is being able to collaborate with one another, and finally, its finding the support of that individual. College can be a very scary experience without the aid and assistance of your peers around you. Surrounding yourself with good people will make your life seem further fulfilled as well.

I have a good example of this. A friend of mine, we'll call her Yes, took the time out of her day and life to assist me in my own work. She took an interest in what I was doing and supported me. She helped me out in coordinating various activities and being there to support me when it all occurred. You can't trade this in for anything when you get to college. Having a support system, whether you're depressed, happy, or anything, is critical to your success.

I'm happy that I've been able to find some people around me who support what I do. One of the most important things to me is finding others who are able to tolerate me for the person I am. Having these people around me have kept me up when times look down. Have kept me happy when times are sad.

I hope you take the time to assess the type of people you are surrounding yourself with. You gain a heck of a lot from the people you associate with and finding people that are positive and support you will hold you in good stead for the duration of your college experience.

This post was originally written by tMs
University of Michigan · Organizational Studies · 01 Mar 2007