Going into freshman year is scary, and after seeing all these new faces on campus, I still can’t fathom the fact that I’m not a freshman anymore. It feels as if it was just yesterday when I had to pull out Google Maps just to get to all my classes. Everyone will tell you that you learn a lot in the first year of college, and they’re not wrong. So, here’s the top ten things I learned this past year for all the freshman starting college out there:
1) It’s actually not that hard to make friends
After spending your whole life with the same faces, you might definitely feel overwhelmed in the first few months of freshman year. Unlike home, you’ll have to put yourself out there and introduce yourself to a bunch of people. While this may come easy to some people, it might be a struggle for introverts like me. But as you slowly meet more people, you will eventually find your own group and possibly find “the one”!
2) The dining hall is a small world
If you live on a big campus, don’t worry about not seeing people you know. Trust me, you will literally bump into the same people every time you walk into the dining hall. Every face is familiar and there are going to be people who you see everywhere and smile at but have no clue who they are. It happens to the best of us!
3) Get involved
As good as it feels to stay in your room and watch Netflix all day, let FOMO motivate you and get out of the room! Take a walk on campus or maybe join a club that interests you, you’ll be surprised to see how much your college experience changes positively. Trust me, there’s a life outside your bed.
4) BUT it’s also okay to stay in sometimes
FOMO is real. Especially at a city school, where there’s always something exciting going on. But it’s also important to remember that it’s okay to stay in when you have to catch up on work or just have a girl’s night with your closest friends.
5) Getting fit is important
The Freshman 15 is real! Whether you’re living on campus and getting ice cream from the dining hall every day, or just exploring new places to eat off campus, I can’t stress enough how important it is to get fit — especially if you have to sprint from one end of campus to another in under 15 minutes. So, if your school has a gym, take advantage of it. You’re already paying for membership as part of tuition, so you might as well walk that extra mile. I know I do. Okay, fine, sometimes.
6) If you snooze, you lose
My Business Ethics professor once said, “If you snooze, you lose,” and he couldn’t be more right. There’s no doubt that college classes are challenging and that it is important to stay on top of your work, but underestimating a course’s workload can be troublesome. Senior sliding was acceptable in high school, not in college.
7) Everyone has bad days
Nothing lasts long in college. Some days, you will be living life and be making memories that you will cherish forever. Other days, you will be in your room feeling lonely and overwhelmed by the amount of work in front of you. Both types of days are inevitable and important to the whole college experience, so try to enjoy the good days to the fullest and pull through the bad ones.
8) Going to a local college is not that bad
Since all my high school friends were excited about finally being away from home, I initially regretted staying in Boston. But with time, I realized that going to college near home is actually the best thing ever. Nothing is better than free and convenient laundry because let’s be real: nobody likes doing laundry.
9) Don’t skip classes for the college experience.
College isn’t cheap. Either you or your parents are spending thousands of dollars for each semester so make each hour count. One class, you’ll be learning about the basic syntax of computer programming, and the next, being asked to design a robot. It goes fast kids! I’ve learned that the hard way.
10) NEVER (and I mean never) take any 8 AM’s
I was never a morning person, but after having to wake up at 6 AM for the past 4 years, I thought I could handle an 8 AM. I was wrong. It’s not really about the time than it is about your sleep schedule. I would consider myself lucky if I got to sleep at 2 AM most days, even if I promised myself that I would be in bed by 11. So, say hello to your new sleep schedule!