Having just finished my freshman year of college, there are a million different things I could tell you about. Whether it be the dreaded cafeteria food, or the late nights you learn to love in the library (or convince yourself you do) - freshman year of college is a year of growth. Here are 10 things I believe every incoming college freshman should know..
1. Do not be discouraged after the first few weeks.
Often times, many freshmen will start visiting home their first month of college. Don't do it. The first few weekends may be rough, especially if you go to a college knowing pretty much nobody from your hometown, but you will thank yourself later. Keep in mind that you probably won't have your same friends from Welcome Week, or even talk to them again, but there are many other freshmen just like you who are wishing someone would start the conversation with them. You're all in the same boat, don't be afraid to reach out. Making friends takes time, especially good friends.
2. Appreciate all of the sleep you can get.
Remember in high school when you would wake up two hours before school just to make sure you looked perfect? Those days are over once you enter college. You will soon learn how to get ready 15 minutes before your class - keeping in mind that your Tuesday/Thursday classmates do not know your Monday/Wednesday/Friday outfits (you can re-wear your favorite pair of sweatpants).
3. Do not beat yourself up over one bad grade.
I've always been a perfectionist, not knowing what it was like to get a grade lower than an A. When I got to college, this completely changed. You will have times where you study your ass off for a test, just to receive a much lower grade than what you thought you deserved. Do not get down on yourself. Have yourself a good cry, eat a bowl of ice cream, or call your mom and complain. You get your five emotional minutes, but then you have to move on from it. Sometimes you have to remind yourself that your mental, emotional, and physical health is worth so much more than one grade could ever be.
4. It is not lame to stay in on a Friday night.
You had a long week and want to lay in bed with take-out Chinese and endless hours of Netflix? Go for it. College is so hectic that you'll learn to love the days/nights where you can spend a little time to yourself.
5. But, it is okay to go out on the weekends and have fun.
Coming from a small town, I constantly was told "you look like you're having a little too much fun in college." False. As long as you can separate your school work from your social life, you will be just fine. Do not be made to feel bad about how you spend your free time on the weekends - but, remember why you are at college in the first place.
6. It's also okay to miss your friends and family from back home.
When you go off to college you're supposed to be an adult, and being an adult means you have everything together, right? Wrong. Sometimes after a tough day all you want is to call your parents or your best friend from back home and tell them all about it. Do it. Chances are they're more than happy to hear from you, even if you are a little sad. Just because you moved away doesn't mean they aren't there for you.
7. Take advantage of on-campus events.
It may seem like a cliche "freshman" thing to do, but you never know what you might come across on campus. Being a broke, overly emotional college student, you'll never pass up the chance for free pizza or renting a puppy for a few hours.
8. It's okay to not have your life figured out.
They aren't lying when they say you'll change a lot your freshman year of college. It's your first time being completely on your own - learning time management, making new friends, going out of your comfort zone. So, naturally, you might end up changing your career pathway as you change as a person. You might even change it two, three, or four times. It's okay to not have it all together.
9. You will make new friends, but this doesn't mean you've replaced your old friends.
College is a great place to branch out and meet people of all different types. You may just end up meeting some of your lifelong friends-but, this doesn't mean you have to forget about your hometown friends as well. It's important to make time for them too, after all they did stick around through all of your awkward stages and still chose to love ya.
10. You get what you give.
Although college isn't for everyone, you get what you put into it. It's up to you to make the most out of it. While some days you may feel like giving up after spending so many hours in the library you can't see straight, you will remember why you love it as you move out of your freshman dorm, saying goodbye to all the new faces you've met. The four months that you spend at home will seem like an eternity as you wait for next fall.
