Ah the college freshman. During this life changing time, people come and go, weight comes and goes, and classes come and go (thank God). You learn during these two semesters that your life is going to be continuously changing, and maybe that's not a bad thing. Here's 27 things that I learned in my first year of college.
1. Arriving to classes in your pajamas=no
I promise that your college professors are taking notes of how you dress, whether it be appropriate for the classroom, or for bed. Showing up in pajamas gives off the vibe that you really just don't care.
2. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING will ever compare to your mom's home cooked meals. (Trust me)
3. During this time, you will meet so many new people. Find your tribe. These people will end up becoming your closest companions.
4. You NEED to Eat. Do not skip meals. You will regret not using your meal pass.
There have been countless times where I told myself, "Oh, you have some popcorn, you don't need to throw on some pants and walk to go get food. You're good." I promise, you will regret not eating a warm meal everyday.
5. "Oh, I can wake up five minutes before class and make it." Negative.
I promise that it is worth waking up an hour before class, get dressed, brush your teeth, grab a breakfast bar, and head to class with five minutes to spare. No matter how much you tell yourself you can make it, you will end up being the girl that walks in late while the professor is speaking.
6. You are now dependent on taking your own trash out, thank your mom for doing it all of these years.
7. It is 100 percent ok to call your mom and vent. She understands.
She knows you better than you know yourself, call her. She reminds you that you have people rooting for you to succeed at home.
8. Contrary to popular belief, you will NOT want to live on Ramen for the next four years.
9. Trust me, Ramen gets pretty gross after a while.
10. If you can turn in an assignment before it is due, DO IT. It is better to be done and stress-free, rather than panicking at 11:55 when the assignment is due at 12.
Oh the 12 PM deadline, how much I hate you. If you have a chance to turn the assignment in even a week before it is due, DO IT. You will be happy you are not the girl struggling with crappy wifi at 11:45 pm.
11. Before you register for classes, meet with your advisor as soon as possible. Many other people have to meet with him/her, so sign up for the earliest time available.
They ACTUALLY are useful. They DO know what they are talking about. They know more about your major than you, they are the most useful source in college.
12. SLEEP AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
13. A 1 am burger trip is sometimes 100% necessary.
Pulling an all nighter to study? Need something extremely greasy, but extremely satisfying? BURGER. OR TACO. OR WAFFLE HOUSE. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.
14. Get involved on your campus. Join clubs, go to events, it is a great way to get your name out into the world and meet new people.
15. Do not doubt the power of Netflix.
16. Yes it IS ok to some days not do your makeup and wear leggings to class. Trust me, you will not be judged.
17. Everyone is different, do not shame or cut people off from the world because they are different.
There are people from all over the country, different parts of the world, people from different families, different backgrounds, different ethnicities, different religions, different sexualities, etc. Meet them. Learn their story. Be Open.
18. Easybib.com is a great place to create works cited pages.
Citing your work just got 10x easier.
19. Feel free to keep in touch with high school teachers! They have had to go through the college experience just as you are doing now.
Some teachers in your high school career made an impact on you. Add them on facebook! Make sure they know how much you appreciated them. They are rooting for you as much as your mom!
20. You will drift from your high school friends, and that is okay. They were there for one point in your life, and you have to let each other travel different paths.
21. Call your dad. He misses you, but will not be as clear as to let you know, and that is okay.
22. If there is an even on campus that offers free food, GO.
23. Keep your keys and student ID on some sort of lanyard, no you do not have to be the typical freshman and wear it around campus, but trust me, you will not regret it. Don't be that freshman texting everyone that you lost your keys somewhere on campus.
24. Living with a roommate is hard, if anything, communication is the key.
25. The RA (Resident Assistant) on your hall might just become your best friend when it comes to venting about classes, or boys.
26. College will get rough, and it will get tough. Never give up. Do not let college overcome you. Take a break every once in a while. Go take a walk or a nap. Watch some Netflix. Do what YOU need to do to be okay.
27. Please. For the love of God. SHOWER.
*All gifs attributed from giphy.com
