1. College is Not "Real Life"
As much as we'd all love to believe we are fully functioning adults, we are far from it. To be quite honest, most of us need our friends to babysit us a few nights out of any given week. Going away to college does not make you anything more than a legal adult who no longer lives with their parents. Sure, you may even provide for yourself. Despite that very adult-like responsibility, college is still nothing like the "real world." In college, it is acceptable to go out any night of the week, sleep anywhere on campus, and we all find any excuse to wear a costume that we can. I'm also pretty sure that not sleeping and living off of mac n' cheese is not what adults do.
2. Make Friends in Your Classes
I honestly cannot stress this one enough. Not only does having friends in your classes expand your connections outside of your friend group, but it can save your grade in a class. While meeting new people is a great way to learn about people who aren't just like you, it is also a great opportunity to have someone around to sign you in whenever you can't seem to drag yourself out of bed for that 9 a.m. lecture. Many freshman courses are strict on attendance, and, as I've learned, your name on a sign-in sheet can make or break your grade. Plus, it's always nice to have someone to send you the notes you missed or cram for tests with.
3. Drinking Water is Actually So Important
Okay, obviously this is a fact I was well aware of before my college career started. Despite that, I think I always underestimated the importance of this simple task. Breaking out? Drink water. Hungry but too broke for food? Drink water. Bloated? Drink water. Nasty headache after a night out? Drink water. So far, drinking water has solved nearly all of my problems.
4. Don't Go Home Every Weekend... But Also Don't Stay in Your College Town
No matter how homesick you get, tough it out at least a few times. If you run home to your high school friends and your parents every chance you get, college will suck. It will be hard to meet nearly as many great people, you'll miss out on fun events, and you'll never fully adjust to being away from home. That being said, don't spend every weekend at school either. Take long road trips, visit other universities, or find a nearby hiking trail to check out. Whatever it is, get away from everything familiar to you for a few days. Every place has something to teach you, and this is a great time to experience as much of it as you can.
5. Sleep is Much Less Important Than You Thought in High School
Sure, high school had its fair share of sleepless nights, but it is nothing like college. People will go an entire week without sleeping here just in order to keep their GPA up. College has taught me that I can function on minimal sleep and still be fine (for the most part). That being said, say yes to everything. Even if you have a presentation the next morning and you should be studying. Say yes to a quick ice cream run, say yes to listening to your friends rant. Don't ignore school entirely, but give up some sleep and make time for both. Having fun and being a good friend (while keeping your grades up) is much more important than a good night's sleep.
6. Don't Get Into a Relationship Too Fast
PSA: You barely know 99% of the people around you!!! Take the first few months of school to get to know everyone. Hear the stories of their past, make mutual friends, and get a general feel for what these new people are like. Many people get excited about the sudden new group of people to choose from and rush into a relationship they aren't entirely ready for. Take it slow. Relationships will always be there later. Plus, being single is fun.
7. Go Out of Your Way to Do Something Everyday
Someone once said something along these lines to me on spring break, and they have really stuck with me. Go out of your way everyday. Help out a friend or stranger, pick up that piece of trash by your car, send someone a nice message, or listen to someone who is upset. Just do something. Someone else will really appreciate it, and it'll make your day a lot better too.
8. Appreciate Late Night Drives
One of my favorite freedoms I've gained in college is the ability to just drive whenever I want. It started out as me trying to find my way around my new home late at night, and turned into a kind of safe haven for me. Go with friends or go by yourself. But take some time to put on your favorite songs and just drive when no one is around. There is a certain kind of peacefulness that can be found in something so simple.
9. Communicate Anger Face to Face
In high school, I often found myself arguing over text message with my significant other or my friends. While it's much less scary to do it this way (especially if you're an angry crier, like me), it is much less efficient. College has taught me the importance of solving conflicts face to face. Seeing the emotions someone expresses while speaking to you is important, and speaking face to face makes it slightly less likely that you'll say something you will regret. Whenever there is no screen to hide behind, you can see how your harsh words affect others. You are forced to listen to the other person's point of view and can't just skip over parts of a message. It is much harder to just walk away than it is to stop replying. Solve your problems like adults.
10. Be Family to Your Friends
College is weird and slightly terrifying. Everyone is away from what they have always known, and we're kind of all just stumbling around trying to figure it out. This is a place where you can find people with the same interests and goals as you, as well as people who are the complete opposite. Whoever you choose to surround yourself with, become a family. I also cannot stress this enough. Take care of each other when you're sick, surprise each other with nice notes or little gifts, ask about each other's day, look out for each other in bad situations, share meals, and just be a support system. College is so much better whenever you have a solid group of friends, but it's even better whenever you have a family away from home.
