I am a first generation university student within my immediate family, meaning I didn't get much advice on what college would be like and I certainly didn't get advice on college out of state. I had to learn everything for myself and figure out how to make everything work from my long distance relationship to figuring out college isn't easy or for everyone. Since I am going into my sophomore year at the University of Arizona I thought I would share the five most important things I've learned since the beginning of freshman year.
1. Keeping in touch with high school friends will be continues battle.
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It's odd an feeling barely talking to the people who were your best friends, support system and family after four years spending everyday together, but there is ways to get over the distance of being in another state. Social media is a LIFE SAVER when it comes to keeping up with friends and how they are doing, it allows you still get to see them grow and flourish without personally being there. Winter and summer breaks is time that should be taken advantage of even if everyone is working. It takes a lot of effort but keeping in touch with old friends is important.
2. Your sorority, fraternity or friends really do become your family
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Finding Friends can be difficult in college, but once you find them they become your new family. I went the Sorority fall recruitment my freshman year and I wish I would have believed them when they said my sorority it would be my home away from home, but this didn't just happen with by sorority but with my roommate too. Every adventure I did freshman year involved either my sorority sisters, my roommate or both at times. It can be hard letting people you barely know into your life but when you find the right group it comes natural. In just a nine months I was able to learn so much from the people I surrounded myself with freshman year.
3. Finding plane tickets to go home SUCKS
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Buying plane tickets and figuring out your schedule is one of the hardest parts of going out of state to college. Traveling home is one of the things I look forward to every few months, but trying to get a flight that matches with someones schedule to pick me up is difficult. At times it feels like your never going to figure it out or that you'll never find a ticket decently priced to go home. I've learned that once you get your syllabus and set your schedule in stone always get your tickets early if possible. Its easier to change flights than to wait too long to find a flight. After the hours spent looking for tickets once you arrive home it's all worth the work.
4. Long distance relationships are hard
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I've been in a relationship for three years and long distance I would say has been our biggest struggle. We went from spending almost everyday together to having a relationship over the phone. FaceTime is great and so are phone calls and text, but it becomes the same conversations. This just means that it takes more work to keep everything the way it was when everyday was spent together. Trying to make schedules match is the hardest part especially with an hour to two hour time difference, it means staying up until midnight or two in the morning to talk. It causes jealously to occur when your significant other is out with friends and you wish they were spending time with you instead. The best part to come out of long distance relationships is reuniting after months apart and falling in love with them again.
5. College isn't easy but you have to make the most out of it
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I was told "if you do well in high school you don't always do good in college" and I didn't believe them, because how "hard can college be?". Well I learned college is hard and challenges you to think differently and step out of your comfort zone. My first year was hard on me not just because I was alone in a different state but I was ready for how busy I was really going to be. Time management isn't a joke in college and is very important, but one thing I learned to always make time for besides studying was relaxation. You can't just focus on school you have to treat yourself to thing and take time to relax, because if not you stress yourself and won't enjoy the freedom thats at your fingertips. It is good to remember that its okay to feel overwhelmed and stressed because you're not the only one feeling that way. Studying with friends can be fun it doesn't have to be strictly work. The major thing to remember is its okay to feel like college isn't for you, everyone feels that way at some point and no one will judge you for feeling that way.
Freshman year of college can be hard and figuring everything out can be stressful at times, but it's important to remember you're not alone and other people have felt the same way before. Having a great group of friends is the easiest way to keep stress to a minimum by being able to have someone to talk to about things much like what is listed above. Remembering who or what is important to me is how I've learned the five things listed and figured out how to make situations work. College is a huge web that takes time to learn how to navigate, and no one knows what they are doing at first.
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