I Wish I Knew This At The Beginning Of College | The Odyssey Online
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I Wish I Knew This At The Beginning Of College

If only I knew then what I know now

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I Wish I Knew This At The Beginning Of College

1. The friends you make your first week of school won't necessarily be the people you hangout with all year. At the beginning of college, everyone is trying to meet as many people as they can - your phone will probably be filled with a bunch of names and numbers you will never contact again and that is okay.

2. There will be days when you really don't want to go to that Economics class of yours - go. Although in most college classes there is no "Attendance" taken you are responsible for going to class and you are responsible for turning in your assignments on time. In high school your teachers were on you about finishing your work, in college? Your professors have a strict No B.S. Policy; you're the one paying for the class so you might as well turn in your assignments on time.

3. Stay balanced. It's easy to get caught up in going out due to FOMO; you feel like you will miss out if you don't get coffee with "the girls" or if you don't go to the party that the guy you're into is at. Honestly your world will remain the same (or even become better) if you stay in and focus on yourself more. Sure, everyone loves to party, but realize that is not all you're in school for.

4. Call home. Call your high school best friends and your parents if you haven't talked to them in a while. It is far too easy to go to college and get caught up in your new environment. Take care to remember all the people who helped you reach that point and keep them up to date about all the new and awesome experiences you are having.

5. Keep breakfast foods in your room: you need to eat before class. Surviving off of coffee and a banana from the dining hall will not get you through the day. Make sure to keep breakfast bars, fruit, and yogurt in your room that way you can get something in your stomach before class so then halfway through lecture your stomach isn't rumbling.

6. Speaking of food... Late night is a great place to socialize, but beware. If you frequent the late night cafe too often you will feel your face start to round and your stomach soften. The alleged freshman fifteen is very very real. So ladies and gents if you want to stuff your faces with mozz stix and personal-sized pizzas at least be sure to hit the gym in the morning.

7. Take tons of pictures. You will want to remember these days for the rest of your life, but be careful what you post. At the time you may think the Instagram post with you shotgunning is a good idea, but down the road a potential employer may not feel the same way.

8. Step outside of your comfort zone. At the beginning of college I was really scared to try new things due to the fear of rejection, but once you clear that boundary you would be amazed about all the things you can discover about yourself. Going to a university allows you to explore all different types of interests and activities that you may not have had access to back home. My hidden joy ended up being kickboxing after I got over my uncanny fear of showing up to group fitness classes alone.

9. Explore. Check out the areas on and around campus. Usually universities have partnerships with local businesses which = student discounts! It's important to be familiar with all the best spots on and off campus that way you know all the right places to study, go out with your friends, or seek refuge when you need some time to be alone.

10. Focus on your happiness. Sure, college is about maintaining a credible degree and getting involved, but make sure to pay attention to your own sanity along the way. Your world will not come to an end if you get your first C or you go through a breakup - keep pushing forward and find the little things on campus that bring you joy. You only have four years of undergrad so you might as well live it up.

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