Freshman year has arguably been the hardest year of my life. For the first time I was living by myself, all of my closest friends were going to different universities, and I had no idea what I wanted to major in. I wanted to write about the top five things I wish I knew at the beginning of this school year, and I hope it will help anyone who may be a little bit like me.
- Get Involved.
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Boulder is a large campus. Every day I would go about the same routine and see a hundred faces I didn’t recognize. If you’re an introvert like me, it can be extremely overwhelming. I felt super isolated and like I was never going to make friends. I wish I knew that there were a ton of ways to get involved and meet amazing people. My life would have been way worse if I didn’t join Her Campus during my second semester. I met some of the most supportive girls and I am able to do so many fun things that I wouldn’t have been able to do. If you’re thinking about joining a club, I think it’s one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself!
- Self Care Is Actually Really Important.
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This year, I really learned the importance of self-care. First semester was a really dark period for me. I was really lonely, stressed, and sad all the time. I didn’t know how to deal with all of the negative emotions I was feeling which led me to isolate myself, miss meals because I didn’t want to leave my dorm, and sleep through classes. It wasn’t until I learned some healthy coping mechanisms that I started to feel better. For me, self-care includes working out, eating healthy, journaling, or watching a cute movie. It’s so important to find what ways make you feel good when you’re in a dark place.
- It’s Okay To Be Undecided.
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I cannot count the number of adults that told me being undecided would be a mistake. There were so many people telling me that I had to choose a practical major (something like engineering or physics) that would lead to a well-paying job in the future; and that was just not something I wanted to do. I have never been passionate about math or science, and I knew I’d be miserable in those majors. I’m so glad I went in undecided because it allowed me to take a bunch of really diverse classes like creative writing, astronomy, social psychology, and introduction to feminist studies. Because I was undecided, I was able to explore more majors, and now I am double majoring in two areas I’m very excited about. I was also able to take small classes with less than twenty people and large classes with over two hundred to see which kind of environments I learn best in. So if you’re stressed about being undecided, I hope you know you really shouldn’t be.
- It’s Important to Have Fun.
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Throughout high school, I was really focused on getting good grades. In college, my perspective began to change. I’m not saying grades and schoolwork aren’t important, but I think going out with friends and creating fun memories is more worth it in the long run. From my experience, there will always be another test to study for or more notes to take, and you’ll regret not hanging out with your friends (especially if you’re forced to quarantine for months).
- Add Diversity to Your Schedule.
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One way to make your semester more bearable is to take a bunch of different classes that fulfill as many credits as you can. In other words, don’t just take all math classes or all history classes because that almost guarantees you will burn out. During my first semester, I took two classes related to astronomy in a row and sometimes would have to sit through two lectures over the same topic in one day. Needless to say, I was miserable by the time I got back to my dorm. During my second semester, I took a psychology class, an advertising class, and a women’s and gender studies class that fulfilled a diversity credit. I think this is something I’m going to do every semester because it honestly makes such a difference in how the school year goes.
My freshman year definitely had its ups and downs. I learned so much about myself, and hope that my experience can help someone a little bit like me in the future.
-Oriel Voegele