1. You

Your first year should be used to focus on yourself. College is all fun and games, but this is where we all decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives. Freshman year is when you find out what you may or may not like in your major. This is the time to be able to change that major before it’s too late. Along with your major comes trying to find the real you that you are trying to be. Myself, for example, came, to college with a boyfriend only to last me a week. I spent weeks trying to figure out what I did wrong or why me but, in the end, I realized he did me a big favor. Later in the year, I was able to see clearly and realize I needed to be single and focus on myself. Focusing on myself for the first year of college helped me sculpt the person I am today.

2. School

School should come first before a relationship. Your education is the reason why you decided to go to college in the first place. You need to always remember you came to school to learn a thing or too, not to party and have fun. The most important thing of your freshman year is deciding the right education for yourself. Do not skip class to spend the night with your boyfriend/girlfriend. Trust me this will not look good to the teacher and you will fall behind. Education first and relationships later.

3. Change

You are adjusting to the new change of a city, dorm and being on your own. Your mother is not there to hold your hand as you walk to classes. The city might be extremely new as well and you need to take time to get used to your surroundings. Living in a dorm will be a bit different due to the size and maybe a roommate. Dorms are different then your room back home. For example the small bed, sharing a room and bath room with floor mates. Freshman year is when you transition into being an independent adult living on your own. The transition is a big adjustment all freshman need to do with a little guidance. You don’t need a relationship during all the change.

4. Friends

Making new friends is a huge step many take as freshman to help discovering yourself. You can start over and be anybody you want to be on campus. You will meet people that will be your friends and floor mates for the next four years. Some of these people may be your best friend or just a classmate. You get the chance to meet anyone and decide who’s worth keeping for the rest of your life. These friends are the family you build during college and keep for the next four years. If you are too busy with a relationship you may miss out on the best friendships of a lifetime.

5. Clubs

Make your freshman year the time to join many clubs and activities on campus. One important factor to do as a college freshman is join a club or a sport on campus. This is how you get involved and meet so many great people. As a freshman I didn’t want to do anything other than sleep but now as a sophomore I regret that choice. Due to getting involved with others and clubs my freshman year, I am now involved in so many different clubs, activities and I enjoy every second of them. I have met so many new people that I will have long lasting relationships with as friend and classmates for a long time. This is also a way to stay active on campus and in your community.

6. Work

You may find a job on or off campus. Not all college freshman look in to working during school, but for those of you that do it is possible to work and go to school full time. I have always worked a part time job since I was 16 years old and I continue to work during college. You can work a part-time job and still pass with good grades in all your classes. There comes a lot more responsibility and time management. If you were to have a relationship, it may cause work and school disappear in the background.

7. Distance

Distance is hard to maintain in a relationship. Most college freshmen don’t bring their high school boyfriend with them to school. Normally they spit and go off to different schools which then means distance. With distance bring problems such as cheating or changing as a person. Distance is a huge problem with a high school relationship. This is another reason to not come to college with a boyfriend/girlfriend.

8. Trust

Trust can be harder to achieve with distance. Most people have one character that they look for in others. The one I that feel is the most important is trust, because if you cannot trust a significant other than how can you be in a relationship with that person. Trust is a huge factor in a healthy relationship, and with college trust can be hard to maintain. With distance trust can be miss placed or broken. If you don’t have trust in a relationship, then you can’t be a happy college freshman.

9. Stress

Stress is a huge problem as a college student but being in a relationship adds even more stress to your levels. Stress is a huge problem for a normal college student, more stress can be added on with a relationship by thinking about the other person way too much. This can then cause your grades to slip or your friendships to die. We all have lots of stress already being a full time student with other activities on the side. Adding more stress is not a good idea. So leaving the high school boyfriend/girlfriend in the past will save you the stress of worrying and fighting for something not meant to be.

10. Money

You will end up spending tons of money on that partner of yours driving to see that special someone or going home to see them. Money is a factor when it comes to college because you are already broke from tuition, books, and food. You don’t have much to spend on gas. So, with the little you have, you may need to get to work or the store. As a college student, you stretch the dollar to last you. This is why we decide to stay on campus and not go home all the time. Relationships will cause you to spend more money on gas to visit them, and sometimes that’s not always the best idea as a freshman or as a college student in general.