My freshman year was awesome. I learned how to live away from my parents, I discovered a lot of cool restaurants, and I met so many people. As my freshman year comes to an end, I have been reflecting on how much I have changed and how much I have grown. I've also learned a lot, including these 20 things.
1. Always get your laundry on time.
Or else, someone will take your sopping wet clothes out of the laundry and set it aside so they can put their laundry in.
2. Any time is a good time for a mozzarella stick.
3. Podcasts are awesome.
Maybe I became more boring freshman year, but there are so many fascinating podcasts out there to listen to on car trips or at the gym.
4. Go to class.
The whole reason why you're at college, right?
5. Do the extra credit.
I will gladly take a 104% in a class over a 98%. Extra credit saves lives.
6. It's okay to say, "No," to campus organizations.
During orientation, you will put your email down for countless clubs just to get a plethora freebies. They will try to contact you until you commit. Yeah, you got the freebie, but it's okay to turn some down.
7. No college has good cafeteria food, so suffer through it.
When in doubt, eat cereal.
8. That being said, go get that free Qdoba at the ping pong club's monthly meeting.
They won't care if you mooch some free Qdoba. They want people to come to their meeting.
9. Buy a stapler.
It's a necessity after printing off copies of papers and other random tasks.
10. A hot glue gun works just as well as command strips.
Depending on the type of walls you have, hot glue is as sturdy as velcro strips as long as you act fast (hot glue dries remarkably quickly.)
11. Call your family.
Some of my favorite conversations from home were with my grandparents at 7 PM on a Sunday.
12. Go to the gym.
Motivation to eat more mozzarella sticks.
13. Ask questions.
There's probably at least one other person in the class who is wondering the same thing.
14. Get to know your professors.
A memorable conversation outside of class or during a professor's office hours might come in handy for a borderline grade.
15. You will write in every class.
Don't think because you're in Basic Calculus that you won't have to write anything. Writing numbers is a lot like writing letters.
16. Prioritize.
Know your passions and what you want to get accomplished.
17. Playing MASH at 3 AM is hilarious.
This happens to be a great procrastination game.
18. Changing your major is the norm.
There are so many people who go into freshman year undecided. You know what? That's okay. There's time to decide.
19. Febreze comes in handy.
Sweaty shoes, forgotten leftovers, and strange college dorm room odors are a common occurrence. When in doubt, a few squirts of Febreze will do the trick.
20. It goes by fast.
Just like that you'll turn in your last final of freshman year. You'll start packing up your room and taking the hot-glued canvases off of your walls. And then, you'll stare at your empty half of the room, about to leave, and realize how excited you are to be a sophomore.