Most of us have read articles online about all the fun that’s had by college freshmen written by those who’ve already crossed the finish line that is second semester finals. To be honest, as a current freshman, the first semester of college isn’t at all what I expected it to be. Adjusting to college life is difficult, but knowing that most of us are in the same boat is reassuring. I’d like to look back next semester, or next year, and see how much myself and my friends have grown.
This is a collection of some of the most common struggles that freshmen will experience at some point during their first year at college, and I hope this article serves as a both a reminder to upperclassmen about what they went through and a reassurance to current freshmen that we’re all in this together.
1. Making friends is actually kind of hard.
Everyone makes it seem like you appear on campus on move in day and instantly have a pack of friends for life. In reality, that’s not quite how it happens. The first semester consists of meeting new people every day, that you’ll either never see again or see everywhere you go on campus. You build a list of acquaintances, but it’s not super common to form a group of friends that’ll stick around for life. You have to keep this in mind and it’s important not to lose hope, because friends will be made, it just takes time! (Joining clubs helps!)
2. The dining hall is a crazy place that few people know how to successfully conquer.
There’s so. much. food. So much that I still can’t figure out what to eat and what not to eat, and how to NOT eat every single delicious thing I see. Managing your diet when there’s an unlimited buffet at your fingertips all day long is extremely hard, but it’s all about making healthy decisions that’ll have a positive impact on both your physical and mental health. Remember: the cookies and cheesy bread will be there again tomorrow!
3. Speaking in class can be quite daunting.
In high school, all you had to do was answer a question in front of, at the most, 20-something kids. No pressure, who cares?! Well, it’s different when you’re in a lecture hall with 200 students, but it’s important to note they’re either asleep, half asleep, staring off into space, texting, or, least likely, taking detailed notes. No one’s judging!
4. You’ll most likely have to endure a long trek to the closest bathroom in your dorm.
Getting out of bed at night to walk to the bathroom through a hallway where you never know what you might encounter is a very interesting experience. Sometimes, you’ll walk out of your room and through a ghost town, but other nights you’ll come across someone’s puke, half empty Wild Kitty boxes smeared on the ground, and other things that I’ll leave up to your imagination.
Bonus: It’s even worse if you have a lofted bed, because that means you have to put in extra effort just to pee.
5. Showering in shoes in worse than you would’ve thought.
They just feel disgusting, and there’s nothing you can do about it because showering without shoes is even more disgusting. You can’t think about what those poor flip flops have endured because you won’t ever want to step foot in those fabulous shared showers again. But it’s college, and it’s just something you have to live with. It really makes you savor the showers you take when you’re back home.
6. Getting out of bed to go to a class you’re not required to go to is a struggle.
“Attendance isn’t required, but it’d be in your best interest to show up.” Hearing these words come from your professor is deadly, because now you know that when you don’t want to get out of bed after Thirsty Thursday, there won’t be any real consequences (except missing the material, which varies from class to class). For me, getting out of bed three days a week to go to a calculus class that I already took in high school is one of my biggest challenges, as well as skipping a nap to attend a psychology class where the entire lecture is online in powerpoint form.
7. Getting a meal is more than a simple walk to your kitchen. You have to actually go outside.
Down eight flights of stairs, out the doors, and a possibly lengthy walk separates you and food. At some points, it’s probably a good thing that this distance exists, because having unlimited swipes to the dining hall isn’t always a good thing. I know we’re all just so thrilled to walk through the snow and freezing cold during the winter just to get some waffle fries!
8. Unlike high school, it takes way more than two days to figure out where everything is.
The first semester is halfway over and I honestly couldn’t tell you where most everything is on campus. As a high school freshman, you had the school figured out in a matter of days, but to be honest I have no idea how to get to my exam in Horton 4 at 2:10 tomorrow.
9. Sleeping in a dorm is an extreme challenge.
There’s so. much. noise. All the time. At all hours of the night. You can literally hear EVERYTHING people say both outside your door and windows. Taking a nap during the day is hard when your dorm is right on Main Street (Mopeds are loud). You also have to get used to living in a very small room with someone that you don’t know very well, which is a big adjustment. You get used to it, though, and living in the dorms probably won’t be a four-year occurrence.
10. Figuring out how to live without home is hard.
For the past eighteen years, you’ve been protected by everything that you were used to, and now, you’re in a place full of unfamiliar things. But this is just part of growing up, and everyone has to do it at some point. Home is just a phone call away, and you have the whole world at your fingertips. College is full of some of the greatest experiences of your life, so make the most of your time and live in the moment.