This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SkinClearingMakeup #CollectiveBias

This blog post starts with a story. It wasn’t going to — it was initially going to be a vague blurb about how I’m so much more confident now that I’m a senior in college than I was when I was a freshman. Duh, right? But last night I had such an eye-opening experience that really showed me how my confidence has skyrocketed in less than four years. In fact, the experience ended with “I would never have been confident enough to do this as a freshman!”

My college hosts a welcome back block party with fireworks, music and ice cream every year. I’ve been going every year since. Freshman year I didn’t dance — I stood with a small group and only spoke to them. Sophomore year I danced only when everyone else started dancing, too. Junior year I ran the event and handed out ice cream, bopping to the beat before I left. Senior year? I talked to tons of freshmen and upperclassmen, convincing them to take a bunch of ice cream, promoting the Snapchat Geofilter I made for the event. I went to the DJ and had him announce the filter for me. Then? I danced. Three of my friends and I danced. No one else was dancing, but we were. We were dancing and having a fun time and not giving a damn about anyone else. (Our dancing even attracted a freshman boy who was shaken to learn I was not a freshman. He also offered me vodka out of a sketchy water bottle and took a selfie with us, but that’s a story for another time).

The point? Sometimes being confident is just about dancing, even when no one else is. I could’ve never guessed that I’d be in the same spot almost four years later dancing and feeling 1000% confident. From one used-to-be shy, self-conscious and nervous freshman to a confident senior, here are a few of my tips about how to boost your confidence in college.

Read More →