Recommended for you

Start writing a post

Student Life

39 Things I Learned In My First Semester At College

Believe me, I've learned lot more than math equations and how to properly conjugate verbs in Spanish.

Rebecca Balara

Dec 28, 2018

Syracuse University

171

39 Things I Learned In My First Semester At College

Rebecca Balara

I have already learned countless lessons about life and college in my first semester here. Here is a glimpse of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

1. College is not just like it is in the movies

2. Sometimes it is though

3. Coffee is a necessity

4. Waking up for an 8 a.m. class is harder than it should be

5. It's kind of nice that almost everything you need is in walking distance

6. Not every friend you make is going to last

7. You don't have to party 24/7 to have fun

8. Time management is key

9. Until it isn't.... but you'll figure it out

10. Extra curricular activities are the perfect stress reliever

11. Washing the three dishes you have on your desk is a very satisfying feeling

12. So is making your bed

13. Dorm decor is a necessity to feel like you're at home

14. College professors aren't as scary as you would think

15. You will inevitably waste your money on a book that you only use once

16. Luckily, you can sell books

17. All your friends from high school do not just magically fall off the face of the earth, we have cell phones for a reason

18. Don't be afraid to call someone from home if you feel alone

19. Time will literally fly

20. So will laundry quarters

21. And your extra dining dollars

22. You will inevitably miss food from home

23. And you'll probably miss home itself more than you think

24. Sunday scaries are real

25. No one really cares if you eat alone

26. You will probably have a mental breakdown at some point... or six

27. You should always have a secret stash of chocolate with you

28. Finding your perfect place to do work and study is key

29. You should find somewhere you can escape to when you want to be alone

30. You'll thank yourself for going out of your comfort zone

31. No one cares if you dress like you're going to sleep

32. But dressing nice can make you feel more confident on an important day

33. You won't immediately make your best friends

34. You will probably feel pretty lonely at first, but so will almost everyone else

35. Not everyone around you is as happy as they appear

36. Shower shoes are a necessity, plain and simple

37. Don't be afraid to try again, this is the perfect place to make mistakes

38. It's okay to take a break, everybody needs a chance to recharge

39. In the end, you get what you give, so take the opportunities you're given

Report this Content

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

Student Life

Things I Am Actually Going To Do This Semester

Or at least try to do.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

119

CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less

new year

Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

Southwestern University

862

woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch

Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

library

Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

Michigan State University

648

Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less

Student Life

Top 20 Thoughts College Students Have During Finals

The ultimate list and gif guide to a college student's brain during finals.

University of Vermont

Thanksgiving break is over and Christmas is just around the corner and that means, for most college students, one hellish thing — finals week. It's the one time of year in which the library becomes over populated and mental breakdowns are most frequent. There is no way to avoid it or a cure for the pain that it brings. All we can do is hunker down with our books, order some Dominos, and pray that it will all be over soon. Luckily, we are not alone in this suffering. To prove it, here are just a few of the many deranged thoughts that go through a college student's mind during finals week.

Keep Reading...Show less

finals

Student Life

28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

Kennesaw State University

1340

group of people sitting on bench near trees duting daytime

Photo by Naassom Azevedo on Unsplash

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.