Dear freshman,
What’s up? Welcome to the most amazing four years of your entire life. Seriously. If you ask any senior on campus if they wish they could rewind the past four years and do it all over again, chances are they will say yes. Before you venture on this journey, here’s a few pieces of advice I wish I was given as a freshman.
Take care of your friends, they’re all you have. You’re in a new place surrounded by new people and some of these new people have already become your friends. They say you meet your best friends in college, so you never know… That girl in your biology lab might just be the maid of honor in your wedding. Crazy, right?! Respect and appreciate these new people who have entered your life because if they meant something to you at any point of your life; you will remember and cherish their friendship forever.
Always try new things. When you’re done, try some more. College is a place of so many opportunities, many of which won’t just land at your feet. Get out there; find something you’re passionate about. What if you became the president of a student organization one day?
Understand that people are more mature in college and older people won’t be mean to you. In high school, it’s sometimes intimidating to talk to older students. They might tease you and make fun of you or tell you the wrong way to get to your social studies classroom. Here’s what I have to say about that: that’s so high school.
Call your parents. They love you; they miss you; and they want you to tell them you do too. Watching a child leave for college is one of the hardest things for a parent to do. They raised you and saw you every day for 18 years and now you’re out in this big scary world all by yourself. Step away from your hectic schedule and give Mom and Dad a ring. You’ll make their day.
It’s time to learn how to budget. When living at home, it’s sometimes hard to realize how much life costs. All of a sudden you’re paying for Ramen noodles and a new pack of pens. Oh, and you need some highlighters too and you want to put posters up in your dorm so you need tape. And, you really want a calzone because the dining hall is SO far. Also, your friends are going to Providence Place Mall on Friday and they invited you to go. Before you know it, the $100 on your Ram account has suddenly disappeared and you’ve only been at college for a week. Pump the brakes! You need to learn how to budget yourself. Start by asking your friends or hallmates if you can borrow something of theirs that you need!
As hard as it is to say it; people actually do get drugged at parties. Although it is not something that happens at every party that ever happens at URI, it has happened before and it probably will happen again. Listen to any and all advice you can. Don’t put your drink down at parties and don’t leave it unattended. Don’t let strangers make you drinks when you cannot watch them being made. Avoid the jungle juice that just looks so yummy. You’ll thank yourself later.
There’s going to be times when you feel alone and kind of homesick. This is perfectly normal. You are not alone. The transition from high school to college can be very exciting, but it can also be very stressful. Don’t be afraid to shed a few tears and let it all out. Talk to your friends about it; they are probably feeling the same way. Call your parents and plan a date for them to come visit and take you out to lunch! After all, that’s one of the best things about going away to college.
Not every boy you choose to see romantically is going to be Mr. Perfect. You also don’t have to hate every guy that wasn’t Mr. Perfect. Compatibility is a confusing thing and sometimes you need to realize it just wasn’t meant to be. It’s easier said than done, but, try not to look back at your college years as one big teardrop over the one who got away. There are plenty of fish in the sea and just because one wasn’t right doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth your time. On the other hand, be strong when it comes to sex, dating and your heart. You’re going to be meeting a lot of new people and not everyone is worth it.
Staying in on a Saturday night is perfectly okay and doesn’t make you lame. After a long week of homework assignments and a wild night out on Friday, your body could probably do with some rest. Don’t overdo yourself just so you won’t miss out on your fifth Eastward party. You have plenty of weekends ahead of you! Take care of your body and fuel up for next weekend.
Living in one room with one or two other people isn’t easy. If you are having roommate problems, know that you are not alone and there are plenty of ways to deal with this issue. Talk to your RA to explore your options.
General education courses can be killer GPA boosters. Take these classes seriously; start off on a strong note.
Always use a DD (designated driver). Narragansett and Kingston police are nothing short of brutal. They are just doing their job but they are seriously out to get college kids who are making bad decisions. If you need to be driven from one location to another, make sure you come up with some sort of system of driving amongst your friends. Take turns, make a schedule; do whatever you need to do to ensure that you will always have a sober ride.
Be spontaneous. It’s the first time in your life that you don’t have a parent telling you what you can and can’t do all the time. Exercise this privilege and make some decisions. Say yes when you’d usually say no. Stay out late and barely make it to class. Buy tickets to something last minute and go just because you can. As long as you’re staying safe and sticking to your morals, you won’t regret this.
Don’t take it for granted. If I knew college was going to fly by as fast as it did, I would have spent every single minute making the most out of every experience, friendship and opportunity. You will learn so much about yourself over the next four years that when you look back as a senior, you will feel like a totally different person. Live and learn and strive to be the best version of yourself. These are the years that you will decide who you want to be as a person, what you care about, how you deal with things. There is so much in front of you and you are so lucky.
Class of 2019, take my advice because I’ve gone through it all. But most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy it.
Sincerely,
The URI Senior