So, you are getting ready to begin your freshman year of college! This is an exciting time-- you are leaving home to go live in a place you have been maybe once in your whole life... for a whole year! So, here are a few things you should know going into this.
1. The "Freshman 15" is real.
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You will hear about this from some of the upperclassmen, friends, and in some cases, your doctor. You may be like me and think "oh that's not going to happen to me" then come home for fall or Christmas break to your family telling you that you have gained weight. It creeps up on you when you aren't paying attention. With the dining hall and their all-you-can-eat food for every meal, and the coffee shop where you can find all sorts of great tasting goodies, the freshman fifteen will find you. There are ways of keeping it gone, mainly by exercising and eating the right way.
2. Making friends is easier than you think.
Most people are scared that they won't be able to make friends in college. The main thing to remember is that everyone else feels the same exact way. Everyone is coming to a new place without knowing anyone. Use orientation to help find people you can connect with. At my school, we played ice breaker games so that people would split into groups by favorite color or food. After you find a few people with the same general likes as you, talk to them more to find out if you would be compatible as friends.
3. The rooms are small.
The dorm rooms are most likely going to be smaller than you thought. Not only are the rooms small but, you only get about half of it (unless you and your roommate decide to not have sides.) Many people come to college without ever sharing a room, much less sharing a very small room. It will take some getting used to, but you will. Your whole room will not fit into the small space you will have for a year-- try to pack lightly so you don't have to send your parents back home with stuff you ran out of room for.
4. 8:00 a.m. classes are never a good idea.
You will go in saying "I can go to an 8am class easily! I had to get up that early for high school." The first day of classes will probably go pretty well, with you getting up on time without a problem. A few weeks in and you will be rolling out of bed 15-20 minutes before class starts or just not going at all. After this, you will avoid signing up for 8 a.m. classes like they are the plague.
5. The classes are harder.
When you first start going to classes, it may seem easy. You are answering questions in class, and asking questions about things you are unsure about. Then you get the first test. You will probably study a little bit and get ready to take it. The day of the test, you get there, look at the paper, and go "Holy crap, I know none of this." Don't sweat it. After the first test, you will have a better feel for how that professor runs tests and will be prepared for the next one.
Going to college is a big deal and it will take a little adjusting to get used to, but you willadjust and hopefully you will thrive. So, get out there and take on the world!
