It's that time of year again...the school year is coming to a close and graduation is upon us. As I near the end of my freshman year in college, I can't help but reflect on my first year of college and whether it met my expectations. Most of my college expectations were formed from the advice, tips and lessons shared by countless others when they heard that I was headed to college. I was unsure just how true all these words of wisdom would be, but with a year under my belt, I have come to realize many of those pointers really are quite relevant and true.
1. The potential for the Freshman 15.
Although I was able to avoid these dreaded extra pounds, I can easily understand where they come from. Chicken tenders, fries and ice cream for every meal? If you really wanted to, you could make this fantasy a reality in college and NO ONE is going to stop you. In fact, the dining services employees will probably encourage you to add some onion rings with that, too.
2. It's really hard to keep in touch with every single high school friend.
You start to realize who is truly on the lifelong friend list. It's not everyone, and that's ok. It's still fun to see everyone, and you'll still be friends. But the people that you called at 1 a.m. to talk during the first semester or those people you send a funny text to every once in a while just because? The people who still reach out? There's less of those people, but their relationships somehow mean so much more.
3. Time management is E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.
The name of the game in college is working smarter. I never realized how much reading college professors assign, but in retrospect, I should have seen it coming since worksheets become essentially non-existent. The key is to prioritize the workload, and almost more importantly, to make time for other things, such as activities, leisure, social engagements, and especially REST!!
4. Dorm room decorating is fun.
It is not over-hyped, at least in my opinion. The moms of the world might disagree with me on this one, but I'll stand by it. Yes, it is difficult to contain your entire life to half of a shoe box, but decorations and bedspreads and office supplies make everything better.
5. You'll broaden your horizons no matter where you go.
Even if you go to college ten minutes away from your house, there's probably somebody at that same college who is ten hours away from home. You'll learn from them and they'll learn from you, even if you might think you are one in the same. It's amazing how different and similar we all are.
6. A good high school education goes a LONG way.
If you've got teachers who consciously make an effort to prepare you for college, you're in good hands. I was lucky enough to have high school teachers who challenged me in every aspect of my education. Although college will still be difficult, you will have seen it all before and it won't phase you...it'll just be a matter of getting it all done!
7. You'll start to realize what you like...and what you don't.
You'll realize there just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything. You'll start to hone in on what's important to you and how you want to spend your time because if you can't do it all, you might as well be doing what you enjoy to make the most of each hour in the day.
8. Everyone has a water bottle in the side pocket of their backpack.
When I visited colleges in high school with my mom, I distinctly remember her pointing out how everyone had a water bottle. Ever since then, it's just been one of those things I've always noticed simply because my attention was brought to it once. And it wasn't a fluke, either: college students must be some of the best-hydrated, most sustainable members of the population.
9. You will eventually get to the point where you don't want to leave.
I never used to believe this one. If you had asked me first semester if I wanted to go home, I would have hopped in the car. But once things settle down and you've got a routine, college life becomes a reality; it becomes your life. It's hard to live a double life, but that's essentially what college is: balancing home and school life. It's a weird sort of phenomenon where you still miss your family and old home, but it's just easier to have them come to your new home. With this being said...
10. You will still need your parents.
They give the best advice and they know way more than you do, even when you think you've got everything figured out. They've experienced it all before and they always have the right thing to say...it's simply a matter of whether you'll listen to them.
11. You'll get out of college exactly what you put into it.
It doesn't matter where you go...whether it's the most prestigious institution or a small community college. The effort you put into a class is the grade you'll receive. The number of times you put yourself out there is the number of opportunities you'll receive. The attitude you have about it all creates the appreciation you'll have for it all.
