--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I personally can barely remember what I…" description: "\"I personally can barely remember what I was like before I came to college, what made me happy or worried or confident. I don't remember what I expected..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/david-fahrenthold-8292_college_i-personally-can-barely-remember-what-i_2500049.jpg" --- # I personally can barely remember what I was like before I… ![“I personally can barely remember what I was like before I came to college, what made me happy or worried or confident. I don't remember what I expected in my future, except that 'President of the United States' was about halfway up the ladder.” quote by David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/david-fahrenthold-8292_college_i-personally-can-barely-remember-what-i_2500049.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/david-fahrenthold-8292_college_i-personally-can-barely-remember-what-i_2500049.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/david-fahrenthold-8292_college_i-personally-can-barely-remember-what-i_2500049.jpg) > “I personally can barely remember what I was like before I came to college, what made me happy or worried or confident. I don't remember what I expected in my future, except that 'President of the United States' was about halfway up the ladder.” [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on the loss of self‑identity in college, noting that youthful ambitions like becoming president fade into broader, less specific goals. **In simple terms:** College can blur personal identity. Key Takeaway Reclaim your evolving goals. Themes identity ambition growth Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - college transition - career aspirations - personal development Key Concepts self‑discovery future planning Questions to Reflect On - What core values guide you now? - How can you set flexible yet meaningful goals? A Different Perspective Ambitions may shift unpredictably. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barely Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barely-remember-355883/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-president-1052727/) [Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy/) [Ladder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladder/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remember Expected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-expected-1052728/) [Remember Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-like/) [Worried Confident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worried-confident-1052726/) ## Related quotes > [If your selling access to somebody who is a future president or current secretary of state, or if there's an implication that you are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/if-your-selling-access-to-somebody-who-is-a-future-president-or/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [“Future presidential candidates Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona and Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts were members of the committee. The committee’s chief counsel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/future-presidential-candidates-senator-barry-goldwater-of-arizona-and/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [If every senator looks into the mirror and sees a future president, then every president looks into that same mirror and sees himself on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/if-every-senator-looks-into-the-mirror-and-sees-a-future-president/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [A sportswriter once referred to him as our future president. With a name like Kevin, I don't know whether that's possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/a-sportswriter-once-referred-to-him-as-our-future-president-with-a/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Voters should absolutely know that a future president has the instincts to react to real-life and unrehearsed situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/voters-should-absolutely-know-that-a-future-president-has-the/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [Just imagine in 20 years, when candidates will have grown up with social media their entire lives. We're going to have a president where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-williams/just-imagine-in-20-years-when-candidates-will-have-grown-up-with/) [Brad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-williams/) > [“THAT IS WHERE THIS COUNTRY IS HEADED—IT IS HEADED TOWARD OVERSIMPLIFICATION. YOU WANT TO SEE A PRESIDENT OF THE FUTURE? TURN ON ANY TELEVISION…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/that-is-where-this-country-is-headed-it-is-headed-toward/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [If Barack Obama now, or some black person in the future, should become president, neither Jesse Jackson nor Al Sharpton would be out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/if-barack-obama-now-or-some-black-person-in-the-future-should-become/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [Most parts I've played since 'Naked,' I can barely remember who they were, let alone repeat any lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/most-parts-i-ve-played-since-naked-i-can-barely-remember-who-they/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [“I barely remember her, but I am still in love with her ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/i-barely-remember-her-but-i-am-still-in-love-with-her-ghost/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [I can barely remember what I wrote yesterday, let alone 10 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/i-can-barely-remember-what-i-wrote-yesterday-let-alone-10-years-ago/) [Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/) > [“She could barely remember what life had been like before him and didn't even want to try. All Grace knew was that she wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-michaels/she-could-barely-remember-what-life-had-been-like-before-him-and-didn/) [Victoria Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-michaels/) > [...some of the best sex I can barely remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/some-of-the-best-sex-i-can-barely-remember/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [I just read an 800-page history of the Scottish Enlightenment and, honestly, I may as well just start it again now, because I cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/i-just-read-an-800-page-history-of-the-scottish-enlightenment-and/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [“The thing that was your bright treasure. You don’t think about it. A loss you could not contemplate at one time, and now it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/the-thing-that-was-your-bright-treasure-you-don-t-think-about-it-a/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) ## More by David Fahrenthold > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [There's two sides to Trump's character, at least his pre-presidential character. One was, 'I'm the richest man you could possibly imagine, I live the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/there-s-two-sides-to-trump-s-character-at-least-his-pre-presidential/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [It wasn't until the second half of my first year that I realized you have to try to make friends and meet people at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/it-wasn-t-until-the-second-half-of-my-first-year-that-i-realized-you/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [The federal helium program sells vast amounts of the gas to U.S. companies that use it in everything from party balloons to MRI machines.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/the-federal-helium-program-sells-vast-amounts-of-the-gas-to-u-s/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [Trump was on WrestleMania in 2007. And in that year and 2009, the McMahons gave a total of $5 million. Now, we know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/trump-was-on-wrestlemania-in-2007-and-in-that-year-and-2009-the/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [Marty Baron, 'The Post's executive editor, stopped me in the elevator lobby late one debate night and suggested we look into the Trump Foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/marty-baron-the-post-s-executive-editor-stopped-me-in-the-elevator/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [Don't focus on what Trump says. Focus on the results of his actions. Stay in your lane and focus on one particular area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/don-t-focus-on-what-trump-says-focus-on-the-results-of-his-actions/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [Trump called me a 'nasty guy' on the phone, and some of his surrogates called me 'obsessed' and biased on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/trump-called-me-a-nasty-guy-on-the-phone-and-some-of-his-surrogates/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [Miami is the place where all great Medicare fraud schemes come from. It has a great concentration of professional criminals and old people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/miami-is-the-place-where-all-great-medicare-fraud-schemes-come-from/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [I feel like I understand Trump's character better than the average person now, having seen all of these little interactions with charity. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/i-feel-like-i-understand-trump-s-character-better-than-the-average/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [The task of tracking deaths for the federal bureaucracy is an enormous one; about 2.5 million Americans die each year. Federal officials say the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/the-task-of-tracking-deaths-for-the-federal-bureaucracy-is-an/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [The Trump Foundation's tax returns are public. That's one thing. So we can look through them in a way that we can't look through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/the-trump-foundation-s-tax-returns-are-public-that-s-one-thing-so-we/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [The national raisin reserve is real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/the-national-raisin-reserve-is-real/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [Trump is somebody who sees the media as basically his main constituency. So much of his self-worth and his image and his view of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/trump-is-somebody-who-sees-the-media-as-basically-his-main/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [I promise not to take my thousands of dollars in student loan debt and move to Mexico. At least not right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/i-promise-not-to-take-my-thousands-of-dollars-in-student-loan-debt/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) [Explore all 82 David Fahrenthold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. 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I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I personally can barely remember what I was like before I came to college, what made me happy or worried or confident. 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