In the days leading up to the beginning of my freshman year of college, I was terrified: of adjusting to dorm life, of making new friends, of falling behind in my classes, of gaining the freshman 15, and of everything else that comes with the territory of beginning one's college career. However, now that I've been in college for over two weeks, I consider myself to be basically a pro. Here's what I've learned so far:
1. It's okay to love where you are, but still be homesick
I absolutely love my school, my new friends, and the freedom/independence that comes with being in college. But that's not to say that I don't miss home. I do sometimes get kind of sad when I watch my friends' Snapchat from being back in my town, at my high school, at the restaurant I work at etc., knowing that I'm not there and won't be for a little while. I used to think that the reason why I missed home at times was because I didn't like being in college, but I then realized that I loved college, and was just a bit homesick--which is totally okay.
2. You never know where you'll meet your new friends
I've heard that most of the people you'll become friends with in college are those living on your floor, but so far that hasn't been the case. I met my first friend in college while standing in a line to get a temporary tattoo, on my second night here. The second friend I met because we were in the same class, and she introduced me to one of her friends, who actually shares two of the same classes as me. Point being, you never know where you'll make friends, so be sure to reach out to people wherever you are.
3. Go to class and do the readings
These may be a given for some people, but a few of my classes look so much emptier now than they were on the first day of school; it's mostly because people just don't bother to show up. I know I would be completely lost if I didn't go to my classes and many others can say the same thing. Going off of that, make sure to do the reading that the professor assigns. Though s/he doesn't actually check to see whether or not you read, the lectures given in class will make so much more sense and class discussion will be a breeze.
4. Don't worry if you're not yet living a "dream" college experience
I remember freaking out during my first week, wondering: why I didn't constantly have friends over my room, why I hadn't had any deep emotional or intellectual conversations with anyone yet, why I hadn't ordered takeout at 1 am yet, why I hadn't had any crazy adventures yet, and many other things. But then it dawned on me that I had literally only been in college for seven days, and that there would be time for those things.
5. Don't worry about looking like a freshman
One of my biggest concerns going into college was that I would scream "freshman," so I did everything I could to not come off as one: no lanyard around the neck, no traveling with a large group of people, no being afraid to eat alone, etc etc. But all of that caught up with me when I had no idea how to get to one of my classes, and I was going to be late. I forced myself to ask a guy I saw how to get there, and it turned out we were in the same class, so we walked there together. Without admitting to myself the fact that I was a freshman and didn't know everything, I probably wouldn't have found my way there until after the class was over.
6. Get involved
I know that's such a cliche, but it's true that this is one of the best things you can do. Joining a club, a team, or something along those lines will help you make friends, while giving you something fun to do and a break from studying all the time. The best thing to do in college is to join something that you have no experience with but that you've always been interested in, because being on campus is the perfect time to try new things and have new experiences.
7. Remember that no one knows anything about you
The wonderful thing about college is that no one knows anything about you. I've easily been able to ditch my high school stereotypes, which is a wonderful feeling, because no one has any knowledge of you or any preconceived notions of what you're like. This knowledge alone has given me the confidence to start conversations with my classmates, people on my floor, and basically everyone I meet--which is something I would never have done in high school.
8. When in doubt, stick to your roommate
One of the things that made the first few days of college easier was the fact that I already had a friend in my roommate. We stuck together throughout all of the activities that they had us do in the first few days. That was nice because we knew that we would never have to be alone, because we had each other. If you don't want to do something yourself ask your roommate to do it with you. Odds are she will because she wants someone with her too.
9. Make sure to check the forecast
Back in high school, I never bothered to check whether or not it was going to rain or how cold it was going to be because I knew that I would be inside for basically the entire day. I haven't quite gotten into the habit of checking it here, so I got caught in pouring rain without a rain coat or rain boots one time. Not to mention, I always forget to bring a sweatshirt when I go out in the mornings, so I'm usually pretty cold.
10. Take life one day at a time
When I start to think about how many days will go by before I get home and all of the things that will happen between now and then, I start to feel a bit overwhelmed. The best thing that you can do when you're feeling stressed is to remember to take one day at a time, because you won't be able to figure everything out now, so just focus on getting through the day you're currently in, and trust that tomorrow will take care of itself.
