A Letter to My Freshmen Self

A lot can happen in one year. In this letter, sophomore Julie Grassey shares some advice to her freshmen self!

Dear 17-year-old, college freshmen Julie,

Congrats! You made it out of high school and are finally off to college in the city, just like you always wanted. Here are a few things I wish you knew last year, before you had to figure them out the hard way.

Suffolk is the perfect school for you and you are going to get better grades then you ever have in your life here… So its time to stop freaking out about making 300 flash cards to study for every single test, they are the biggest waste of your time. 

Learn how to speak up a little more in class… You will become a little less “classroom shy” throughout the year and you are going to realize that getting to know your professors on a first name basis is going to be very helpful down the road. 

Listen to your older friends who told you about “freshmen friends.” Don’t expect the group of friends you made on the first day of school to someday be your bridesmaids. In fact, watch out for a few of these girls… If you get bad vibes from the beginning, follow your instinct and branch out instead of possibly loosing yourself in some of these so-called “friendships.” However, don’t be fully discouraged by this word of advice, two of the friends you made on the first day will turn out to be two of the best friends you will ever have!

Meet as many people as you possibly can this year. You will appreciate these acquaintances when you live off-campus and are looking for places to go on the weekends. 

Going home every once in a while is perfectly fine. You are going to realize how much you need your family at times, no matter how much you want to avoid being in Ashland, CT. That being said, walking through Downtown Crossing to catch a train at South Station past 8p.m. is not always the best idea by yourself. This is why cabs were invented.

Take any freshmen seminar other than that economics one, you are not doing yourself any favors here!

Go to all the random activities that different clubs host. Putting yourself in awkward situations is what college is all about sometimes. You will have some of the best nights this year at some of the most random events on campus.

Avoid Franzia, and avoid anything “whipped” flavored. 

Don’t be bumming out about missing dance this year. Just know that just because the Suffolk Dance Company did not exactly work out, this is not the end of your dance career. Next year, you are going to get the opportunity to work at (wait for it…) the Boston Ballet! In the meantime, do not be intimidated to go to classes in Boston. Basically breaking your legs in half trying to do a split in front of a bunch of 3rd graders after a year without dance is wicked embarrassing… 

You are going to meet a lot of really great guys this year, but learn to accept them as your friends instead of assuming that they are all going to be your boyfriend. Maybe you did meet your future husband freshmen year, you never know! For now, no one is worth being heartbroken over. 

Eat up all the salads from 73 while you are still on a meal plan. Also, indulge in that sandwich station in Miller because never again will anyone make you a goo grilled chicken wrap like that. 

And finally, save your chemistry notes because you are (shockingly) going to need them again before you know it!

Enjoy freshmen year while it lasts. Before you know it, you will be sitting in your apartment working on your study abroad application for JUNIOR year feeling extremely old. Being a freshmen is so much fun, don’t let immature girls and homework stress you out. Amazing things are to come in your very near future, for now just live it up!

Lots of love always,

19-year-old, a little more mature, Sophomore Julie