Exactly a year ago from today I was binging on college movies and scouting the internet for any sort of information on how to survive freshman year. Very few of my friends were studying at university at the time and although I bored them with my questions about starting college I still had very little information on what I was getting myself into. As the long awaited orientation week finally rolled around and I was so nervous you’d have thought I was getting ready for a bungee jump and not merely the first day of school. Despite my nerves, I actually managed to make it through my first day of college with dignity and now that my freshman year is over and done with I can proudly say the same about the entire year. There’s something special about freshman year as it’s all about figuring things out and meeting new people but, like everything, being the new kid has its ups and downs. Here are a few things I learned during my freshman year I wish I had known right from the start.
You aren’t the only one that’s lost!
Starting university was not the only new thing in my life last fall as like many others I had only recently moved from my home town to Helsinki for college. I felt lost as in addition to having to wrap my head around all the new courses I had to figure out which tram or bus to take in order to get from place A to place B. Luckily, you are seldom alone with your troubles and I was certainly not the only out of towner in my class. Moreover, being clueless and not having everything figured out is part of the freshman year charm and so don’t be afraid of being a little (or very) lost in the beginning. Nothing bonds you with your classmates better than figuring things out together and for example getting around the campus is an entire challenge of its own whether you’re new in town or not.
Do your own thing
The very first few days at college are jampacked with advice and information coming from all kinds of directions. In addition to figuring out your schedule and new courses all different student associations, clubs and boards are targeting freshmen in the hopes of recruiting new members and all the information can get a bit overwhelming. Getting involved right from the start can help you find new passions and meet new interesting people but don’t feel pressured into doing anything just to fit in. In the midst of all these new opportunities it’s important to find the courses and activities that you are truly interested in and to focus your energy on those. Even if it might seem like everybody’s taking ten different classes and volunteering at a dozen different organizations trust your instinct and keep doing your own thing.
Enjoy and go with the flow
Something you’ll keep hearing from your orientation week onwards is “Your freshman year will be the best year of your life!” Freshman year is not known for its parties in vain as your tutors and older students will make sure there’s something going on all the time and you surely won’t get bored. Getting to hang out with your class mates outside of classes truly is the best part of college but pressure to have the time of your life can easily beat the purpose. It’s more than okay to miss out on parties and the most important lesson I learned during my freshman year was letting go of all the expectations I had for college and simply to enjoy the ride.