I have had the privilege to come to campus a bit earlier this summer due to a scholarship program! Here are 10 things I have learned so far that I thought were important.

1. Communal Bathrooms aren’t that bad

When people typically think of college residence halls, they often think of having to share a bathroom. Students typically try to go for suite style residence halls - that means personal bathrooms. I was one of them; my roommate and I picked a room that had its own bathroom. For the summer though, I’m living in a residence hall that has communal bathrooms and it actually isn’t bad at all. Everyone always talks to one another in the bathroom at the sinks in the morning when we are getting ready for our days. At nights when we use the showers typically we talk to one another. It’s another opportunity to meet people and be even more social.

2. Making friends isn’t as hard as you think it will be

The best part about being on campus is immersing yourself and becoming friends with so many people. When you are a freshman, everyone in the same boat. Everyone is trying to make friends and wants to feel at home with the right people. The great thing about this is that it’s far less intimidating to make friends when you come to this realization. Just in my short time here on campus, I have found that all of the people so far have been so genuine and sweet. Having a welcoming environment makes the transition easier.

3. Friends are important!

I cannot stress enough how important it is to make friends! My first day I was a little nervous about everything because it was a brand new experience, but strangers quickly turned into friends and by the end of my first week the nerves were completely gone. I am starting to wholeheartedly love campus, which wouldn’t have happened as quickly if I didn’t make friends. Plus, the whole experience is so much better when you have people to share it with.

4. Being yourself is easier than you think

One of the things I personally was worried about was “Who did I want to be when I was at college?”. But when I actually reached campus, I realized that it was super easy to just be “me”. Being around the right people, you will feel yourself easing up and acting natural. I didn’t have to stop and think about what kind of person I wanted to be because there wasn’t a persona I felt I had to uphold.

5. Fresh starts are much needed

A wonderful thing about college is that it gives you a chance to start over again (if you want to). To some people, change is horrifying and causes a great amount of distress. For others a new start is definitely something to cherish. No matter where you came from - ranging from the “mom” of the friend group or having no friends at all - it doesn’t affect you here if you don’t want it to. College gives you an opportunity to start working toward who you want to become in the long run. It also gives you a chance to start writing the new chapter of your life with new main characters and more developed plot lines.

6. Dining hall food actually isn’t awful

The first time I ever ate a dining hall I did not know what to expect. TV and Hollywood did a good job of imaging college campus food almost as well a trash heap. However, the food was actually pretty good. The perks to eating at a dining hall is that there are a lot of options and when you don’t like anything there’s always pizza or salad to fall back on. The downside is that dining halls get pretty old pretty quickly. All in all, meal plans aren’t the worst things we will have to deal with on campus.

7. Time management is real

Time management is a concept that parents and teachers will tell you all of your life but won’t actually make an impact on you until you realize it yourself. With having a lot to do every day, you have to start planning ahead and not waste your time.You can't afford to

8. Make friends with people who have a car

If you need to make a late night trip to the grocery store or the nearest Buffalo Wild Wings and don’t want to take the bus, this is where having a friend with a car comes in handy. Most of the time on campus you can walk to wherever you need to go, but having access to a car one way or another is quite nice.

9. Utilize resources

You will never be bored on campus if you utilize resources. Go to the lobby and check out the pool tables or other games. Make some friends with the people in your residence hall and have some fun! Also, the campus itself is pretty fun to explore. From running around the campus to playing hide and seek in the residence halls, you will always be able to find something to do.

10. Be accepting

Last but certainly not least, be accepting. You don’t have to be best friends with everyone you meet but try to look on the brighter side of things. People come from all walks of life in college, not just whatever path you have come from. Keep an open mind about things and campus life will be a lot smoother of a transition for you.