I'm going to start my freshman year at Illinois State University this fall. I don't know about you but before I start something new, I research. As you can imagine, this means I have watched and read anything on the internet entitled "Things I wish I knew before college." Since I haven't actually started college yet, I asked one of my close friends, Gwen Den Houter, for some insight on what I'm getting myself into. Gwen is starting her sophomore year at Illinois State in the fall so who better to ask about tips for my freshman year than her!

I started by shooting Gwen a text asking for some tips on freshmen year. She had so many helpful tips that I thought I should let the world know what she had to say. The first thing she said to me was "Join clubs!" You might be thinking "well obviously" but Gwen said

"This is something I can't stress enough. It's hard to leave home and friends and start a brand new life alone."

She has an excellent point. Leaving everything familiar to me is going to be hard. Meeting new people and finding common interests can really help me make new friends and make my transition easier. The next thing, which happens to go hand in hand with the first is "Go to campus supported events!" She urged me that "those posters around the dorm talking about a club sponsored trivia night can be really fun." I agree. These events not only seem like a fun activity to do with new friends but also a great way to meet people and find new interests. Both at these events and not she told me to "Be nice to people!" she explained that "everyone is in the same boat freshman year and it can make someone's day when you do something as small as complimenting them." I know what she means. One compliment can brighten my whole day, even if it's as small as "I like your shoes!"

Gwen also warned me about the terrible "freshman 15" saying "The freshman 15 is real! With dining halls and on/off campus restaurants it's hard to avoid. Most college gyms are free and it's not hard to make time to set aside to go work out." I don't know about you but this one scares me the most. I will definitely be utilizing my school's gym.

As the interview was winding down, Gwen gave me something to remember "The reason you go to college is for school not for parties. School should be your number one priority don't forget why you're there!' This is the most important tip Gwen gave me, never lose sight of why I'm there in the first place. I'm here to learn and education should be made a priority.

Talking to Gwen helped ease any other doubts I had about my freshman year. Her words helped me far more than any of the articles or videos I saw. Thank you so much to Gwen for all the great words of wisdom. I hope this article helps to calm some nerves and this goes to show how helpful friends can be.