College is a time to grow and discover each and every unique aspect of yourself. You’ll make loads mistakes, you’ll do embarrassing things, and you’ll have a blast. Here is a list of a few lessons you’ll learn while you’re here at TCU.
1. College is NOT like high school
You’ll find yourself hunched over your computer finishing a paper at 3 AM more often than not. Everyone said junior year was the hardest back in high school, but nothing holds a candle to the TCU curriculum. And that’s great! It’s extremely rewarding to get good grades at TCU, but they will for sure make you work for it!
2. You’ll distance yourself from many high school friends
In high school, you think that everyone is your BFF. At least I did. I had people I talked to on a daily basis that I considered close friends of mine… but the day of graduation was the last time we spoke. The most important thing to know is that that’s okay. As you grow you change, and so do other people. It’s natural to grow apart when you’re not being crammed in a small classroom every day of the week.
3. You’ll make mistakes
You’ll go to parties and mixers, and you’ll have way too much to drink. You’ll learn your lesson; it just takes some a little longer than others. An important thing to know is that college parties are very different from high school parties. While cops are more lenient, the alcohol will be stronger, the boys you don’t know will be less trustworthy, and Uber will be your best friend.
4. Procrastinating sucks
In high school, all of the procrastinators bragged. They would wait until the very last minute to study before a test, and still make a good grade. I would know. I was one of them. It’s different here. At TCU, if you’re not studying at least a few days before the test, you’re most likely screwed. Maybe freshman year you can pull that off, but as the class levels get higher, you’ll learn that cramming is no longer a smart choice.
5. You’ll gain weight
The Freshman 15 is very real, my friends. And it hit me like a ton of bricks. When you discover the BLUU food for the first time, you want to inhale everything you lay eyes on. Don’t. You’re going to get sick of all of it, I promise you. You will also realize that your metabolism is different than it was in high school. You’ve stopped playing your sports, and you’re no longer eating home cooked meals. Two slices of pizza and a side of French fries has replaced your mom’s balanced dinners, and the scale will start to reflect that. Try to throw a salad in there every once in a while!
6. You’re going to make incredible memories with incredible people
While this is a somewhat obvious one, everyone’s experiences are different. And you’re going to fall in love with yours. I’m a second semester sophomore and so far I’ve spent spring break with my best friend in California, I’ve road tripped to Louisiana and attended a Mardi Gras Ball, I’ve travelled to Oregon with my boyfriend and stayed in a tiny cottage on the coast, I have gone to parties, I have had friends in my room long past midnight having deep heart to hearts, I live with my best friend, I have seen TWO Christmas tree lightings, and I have the most perfect family in my sorority. This is just a fraction of all of the joys I experience at this school. While academics may be extremely tough, and you may go into slight culture shock your first year here, the people you meet and the memories you create make it entirely worth it.