My First YT Vlog Ever - Hello YouTube

This one is just me, sitting down in front of a camera for the very first time, nervous and excited and not entirely sure what I am doing. It is my first ever YouTube vlog, and instead of a polished introduction, I decided to just go with what I was feeling in that moment. Fresh out of college, back home in Islamabad after studying in Lahore, I found myself thinking about the one irreplaceable experience that had just shaped me. So I hit record and talked about college life, the messy, beautiful, confusing thing it is.

Everyone is lost in the beginning

I remember what it felt like to start. New place, new course, new faces. You do not know the teachers, you do not know the people, and everything feels like you are starting all over again. And while a part of you likes the idea of a clean slate, there is that voice at the back of your head that is constantly afraid. Afraid of being judged, afraid of not being good enough. You look around and see smarter people, prettier people, cooler people, and you wonder where you fit. The truth is, you are not the only one feeling alone. “When you enter college you are lost because you just don’t know who you are at that point.” Everyone is.

The first friends are not always the last friends

Something strange happens with the friendships you make right at the start. You meet someone, you instantly click, and you think this is it. But more often than not, those are not the friends you end up with. I do not know why this happens, but it just kind of does. And that is okay. College is not a straight line. It is a slow process of finding your people, the ones who welcome you and accept you for who you are. My one piece of advice: do not try to be friends with people who are not interested. You just cannot do that to yourself.

Do not build a bubble

The biggest mistake you can make is to create a bubble. To decide these are my friends, these are the cool people, these are the smart people, and shut everything else out. The best thing you can do for yourself is to get to know everyone. Everyone is different, and everyone has flaws. “Just because someone is not like you doesn’t mean they’re not great.” You learn to be tolerant, to accept people, and to love them for who they are. When you leave college having truly known the people around you, you feel great about yourself.

People will judge you anyway

Trust me, people will find an excuse to judge you. The way you talk, the way you walk, where you are from, what your hair looks like. Everything. But just because someone thinks something is not right does not mean it is not right. You have to be yourself, obviously keeping in mind the social boundaries, but never losing who you are in the process. “In trying to be someone else or in trying to fit in, you will end up losing yourselves.” You do not want to come out of college lost. You want to come out confident and determined, knowing exactly who you are.

The small things that matter

When I look back at my four years, I feel this quiet happiness. I do not have any “I wish I had done this” or “I wish I had not done that” moments. I loved everyone I was in college with, and I am so glad I had the best experience I could have had. If you are starting college, I hope this helps you. If you have ended it, I hope you can relate. Remember your roots, remember where you came from, and remember where you have to go. Do not let things distract you in the middle. And above all, positive vibes only.