This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.

Even though the year isn’t ending on the best terms, my freshman year of college has actually been an amazing experience. The extra time at home has given me more time to reflect on the good parts of the year rather than focus on the bad. Looking at my life now, it’s full of amazing people and incredible experiences. Here is a list of 7 things that FSU has taught me.

1. You can never have too much spirit

The Marching Chiefs are some of the most spirited people I know. They’ve shown me that having spirit means having passion, and passion is what drives you through life. I’ve made some of my closest friends through Chiefs, and I am excited about what the future has to hold.

2. Time management is really important

With more freedom to make my own choices, managing my time has been harder than ever. I’ve learned that you need to make decisions that are best for you, and others will support that more often than not. If you need to ask people to leave your dorm so that you can finish homework, it’s no big deal; they get it.

3. Getting involved on campus is the best decision I’ve made here

Everyone at FSU has been so accepting and helpful to me as a freshman. Between Marching Chiefs, Sigma Alpha Iota and Her Campus, it’s obvious that your peers want you to succeed! If you approach someone with a goal, they’ll help you get there. There are so many phenomenal people in these three organizations that I can only imagine who you can find in the other 700 organizations we have on campus.

4. It’s okay to stop and smell the roses (literally)

FSU’s campus is gorgeous (like many other campuses). The chrysanthemums in front of the Wildwood dorm, the azaleas behind the Cawthon dorm, and the live oaks on Landis Green are all so beautiful. It makes any day brighter when you stop and appreciate nature.

5. Golden hour is beautiful, but golden hour at FSU is even prettier

Part 2 of “FSU is Beautiful.” Have you ever seen the red brick glow golden at sunset? For a few minutes every day, our campus is absolutely radiant. When the sun sets on Doak Stadium, you can’t help but stare.

6. There are some cool experiences on campus (and they’re free)

Something I never realized about college campuses is that they put on some amazing events that are free with a student ID. For example, Club Downunder has hosted a range of events from professional drag shows to The Band CAMINO to Terry Crews. There are also fun events on Landis Green every now and then. Sometimes you can paint a mug for free!

7. Taking advantage of university-provided resources is underrated

Did you know that FSU students have access to a whole website of documentaries? Or that we can use parts of Adobe Creative Cloud for free from FSU? Or that the counseling center is free and confidential? Those are only some examples of the free resources that we can use as students.

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Reflections on My Freshman Year of College