College is one of those things that can either be exciting or scary at the same time. You get thrown into this institution with no instruction manual. You instantly have to learn how to figure things out on your own whether it is the easy way or hard way. No matter what, there will always be people who are willing to help you. All you have to do is be friendly and ask. Here are some thoughts that you might have had as a freshman as well as some common misconceptions that you probably had:
1. "I really just spent $600 on textbooks! At least I'm prepared for class!"
GiphyRule #1, don't buy textbooks before class and DO NOT buy them from the university. Those $600 worth of textbooks could have been as low as $175 with the right websites and free PDF files. Also, there is no such thing as being prepared for class. There is no guarantee that you will be in that class for the whole semester. About 70% of students add/drop a class within the first week.
2. "I don't want to eat alone!" *Texts the Class of 2023 group chat.* "SOMEONE EAT WITH ME I DON'T WANNA GO ALONE!"
GiphyIt's actually pretty normal to eat by yourself on campus. 90% of students eat while studying, watching a show on their phone, or just...eat. The high school social atmosphere is no where near the college atmosphere. It's time to stop worrying about what other people think. You don't have to always eat with EVERYONE. Just grab a booth and mind your business.
3. "How the hell was I able to go to school from 7AM to 3PM? I can't even go to this 10AM class."
GiphyTrust me, it's not the same. In high school, you were pretty much forced to go to class and it was a routine for you. Now that you don't have your parents waking you up, it's a lot harder. You still have to go to class though...you're paying for it.
4. "I'll just wear my student ID lanyard around my neck so I won't lose it."
GiphyThere's nothing wrong about this, but it's definitely a freshman move. It's because freshmen always want to be prepared and always have their ID ready for anything because they feel as if they need it for everything. Upperclassmen could care less.
5. "ANY MOVES TONIGHT? Where can I find a 21 year old to buy me alcohol?"
GiphyYes, 90% of freshman will think about going to a party rather than applying for an internship. You are getting your first experience of freedom and I bet you've seen all of those cliche movies. Going to a party/function plays a big role, but please don't thirst over one. Many freshmen will also cling to a 21-year-old just so they can get liquor.
6. "Wow, I have a lot of stuff in my dorm, did I go overboard?"
GiphyIt's exciting moving into your very first dorm. However, please don't go overboard to the point where you are building up clutter. Remember, you have a roommate and 98% of those things won't be used.
7. "Hey, do you want to get a fake ID together? Great! Now, we need two more people so it can be cheaper!"
GiphyDo you know how many freshmen ask this question on a daily basis? A fake ID is pointless. This is why people make connections and such. Also, turning 21 isn't that far away. Spending $50 or more on an ID that will most likely be confiscated at the door isn't worth it.
8. "Did that person really show up to the lecture in pajamas? And I'm pretty sure she wore that same hoodie for 3 days now."
GiphyIt is completely normal to show up to class in pajamas or sweats. You can clearly tell who is a freshman and who is not. A typical outfit for a college student is a hoodie, leggings/sweats and sneakers. To all of my freshmen, NO ONE CARES what you wear in college. Please don't show up in heels.
9. "Can't wait to take pictures with every person I come in contact with to show people from my high school that I'm making friends and having the time of my life!"
GiphyI noticed that a lot of freshmen do this to show that they're having the time of their lives. It's crazy because they can be really depressed and you'll never know. If you feel as if you're sad because you see your high school peers making friends, don't be fooled.
10. "Wow, the cafeteria food is DELICIOUS OMG!"
GiphyYeah, you'll say that now but I'll give it another week until you start making hourly trips to your local bathroom. Trust me, you'll get sick of it.
11. "Should I wear heels to class? I want to get cute today! You know what.....I'm doing it!"
GiphyOh no honey, this is one of the biggest mistakes you can ever make in college. Classes aren't down the hall or next door. In fact, your classes are in another building up the hill, through the desert, past the parking lot, across the street and behind the construction zone. Oh, and it's raining really hard. Good luck!
12. "8AMs aren't even bad! I managed to wake up at 6:30 every day!"
GiphyYeah, it was easier to wake up at 6:30 because your parents dragged you out. Imagine waking up on your own voluntarily. Nope. You'll learn this the hard way.
13. "Actually, I need to order more stuff!"
GiphyTake a minute and think. In less than 9 months, you have to move all of this stuff out of your room and make sure that this room looks like no one ever lived here.
14. "My room is so cute! I don't know how people can be messy. Thank you IKEA!"
GiphyYour room will only look good for the first few weeks of school because you're still instagramming pictures of you in your dorm. You know, the #chillin and the #roomlife, or the "I'm always here lol," pictures. After that, you won't have the energy to post anymore.
15. "What the hell am I going to say for this icebreaker?"
GiphyNo one likes icebreakers. It's hard because you're not sure if people will be interested in the fact that your dad owns a yacht or you ran into a YouTube vlogger at a gas station.
16. *Continuously telling people that you miss your dog.*
GiphyI promise you, no one cares about your dog.
17. "Is it too weird to ask an upperclassmen for directions?"
GiphyIt's not weird but it's not something people usually do. If it helps, try arriving earlier to the building so it will give you time to find the place. Also, pay attention to the room numbers or even ask the front desk attendant.
18. *Calling Mom* "Mom, can you put some more money in my account?"
GiphyI hate calling my mom because she will give me a whole lecture about my irresponsibility. Honestly, we all call our moms over the slightest inconvenience. Thank you for being there mom!
19. "Does this make my butt look big?"
GiphyDear freshmen, no one cares how you look. No one is paying attention. The majority of parties are in a dark room.
20. *Walks into the campus center.* "What residence hall is this?"
GiphyI'm only saying this because a lot of the freshmen at my school thought that one of the dining halls at our university union was a residence hall. I am still thoroughly embarrassed.
21. *Stalking High School friends on social media to see how they're doing.* "Wow, I miss High School."
GiphyIt always turns into a competition to see who is living their best life the MOST. I promise you, give it a couple of months and you'll completely forget about who you were in high school.
22. Where are the MoOoOoOoOoOoOves? *Ignores the fact that it's Tuesday*
GiphyPlease, we get it already. After a while, always wanting to go out to bars is played out.
23. "Yup, my future husband/wife is definitely here! I can feel it."
GiphyIf you have this mentality, college isn't for you. Who knows! You'll randomly meet someone when you least expect it. However, this shouldn't be your main focus in school.
24. #RoomieLuv
GiphyThese Instagram captions are overrated and annoying only to find out that you both end up fighting next week. Please give it a rest.
25. "I'm about to hit the gym every day!"
GiphyWow, way to start college by lying to yourself already. I wish working out was as easy like the way Nicki Minaj is doing it.
26. "Okay, now I cannot STAND my roommate."
GiphyYou will find out very quickly that your roommate is not who you thought they were when you first met them. As you build up your workload and become even more stressed, your roommate will get on your nerves. It's okay to not like your roommate. I would highly recommend getting a single if it's that bad.
27. "Dad, I NEED MONEY PLEASEEEEE!"
GiphyWhen you realize that you're not home anymore and its only week 2. Your overdraft fee is calling you sis.
28. "I haven't slept since move-in day...."
GiphyThis is what college seniors typically say. And they're also referring to move-in day from their FRESHMEN year.
29. *Making it a priority to purchase campus gear, not knowing you can just get it for free*
GiphyYou should know by day 2 that you can get free campus gear. If you're still buying shirts, don't ever complain about being broke again because you did it to yourself. There will always be more opportunities for free shirts.
30. *Wondering why people are having breakdowns by week 2 and you fear that your time is coming.*
GiphyIf you have survived college without at least one mental breakdown, then how does it feel to be God's favorite?
31. "Why are there juniors and seniors in my class? I thought it was a freshman class?"
GiphyIn college, there's no such thing as a freshmen-only class. Eventually, you'll learn that not everyone graduates in 4 years. You may be taking 101 and 102 classes and you'll notice some upperclassmen there. Most universities require 120 credits to graduate so those students are most likely taking a filler class. You still have to fill any extra requirements even if you probably finished your major classes already.
32. "When is rush week? It is my destiny to be a sorority girl! I've seen it in movies."
GiphyRecruitment season is one of the most exciting times for freshmen who are interested in joining a sorority or fraternity. I will tell you this; not everything is going to be like a movie and you will be doing a lot of community service.
33. "Why can't I just go to bed before 1AM?"
GiphyYou always end up going to bed at 4AM and hating yourself when you wake up at 9. It's sad to say that 4AM is the new 11PM.
34. "Well, damn...so nobody is going out tonight?"
GiphyIt's Tuesday Ashley....TUESDAY and I have a test tomorrow. You don't have to go out every night.
35. "I don't know how people get the Freshman 15! We have a whole gym hello! Just work out every day!"
GiphyYou will NOT be using the gym every day. Probably NEVER. The majority of students only use the gym if they want to look good for a function, have a tinder date, vising their parents soon, or just want to burn off all of the dining hall food that they just ate. Other than that, you will be walking past the gym everyday with zero thoughts.
36. "That guy just asked me for my study guide. I'm about to be 'wifed-up' next week."
GiphyNo honey, that's not how it works. Don't expect to fall in love so quick. Relationships are not as easy as it sounds in college.
37. "So, are there going to be parent-teacher conferences? I haven't shown up to class in a minute."
GiphyImagine your parents showing up to a college parent-teacher conference and your professor says, "I have never seen this child a day in my life. Who is this?"
38. "I'm gonna study at 7PM." *The clock hits 7:01.* "8PM IT IS!"
GiphyLet's face it, we've all done this no matter what academic class we're in.
39. "What is the easiest major that makes a lot of money at the same time?"
GiphyLet's not lose sight of the fact that we're all here do get our degree and get a job. You can't do NOTHING! It's a lot of money you're putting into this...well, your parents.
40. "WHO WANTS TO DO MOVIE NIGHT IN MY DORM? THE WHOLE FLOOR IS INVITED!"
GiphyThe need for social events and hanging out with everyone you know will be at an all-time high. By October, you will not be like this. Movie and game nights are always fun, but trust me, the people you hang out with during your first weeks of school won't be there in a few months.
41. "Wow, college is definitely not like the movies...why do I attend this hell-hole?"
GiphyCollege will NOT be like the movies. You will have moments where you cry, laugh, dance, want to drop out, eat junk food, and meet amazing people. At the end of of day, you wouldn't trade your time in college for the world. Just hang on because there are many more years to come.
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