Dear Freshmen,
Right now you’re feeling pretty overwhelmed. Classes are picking up, you have a bazillion chapters to read, papers to write, and your first test is coming up. You’re tired, because who isn’t? No time to sleep when there is all this homework to do and new people to meet, and your roommate has the weirdest sleeping habits. You share a tiny dorm room with this stranger, not to mention sharing a shower and toilet with 30 other people. You’ve probably already gotten too personal with someone else’s hair smeared on the shower walls, and someone else’s vomit in your favorite bathroom stall. Don’t panic. It will get better.
Get involved. Find something you’re interested in, and go find other people who are interested in it too. Most likely, you’ll hit it off and find some of the longest lasting friends.
Study abroad. Fast fact: if you study abroad in a country that doesn’t speak English, the language you take there will count toward the core language requirement. So drop that horrid Spanish class, and study abroad before senior year in Spain or Italy or China or Morocco.
Be discriminatory when picking your friends. College is full of heartbreak, and not just of the romantic kind. People with make new friends and leave you in the dust—even the most extroverted person will ache for home on that one night when you can hear everyone else having fun without you. Don’t apply to transfer yet, I promise your best friend is right in front of your face.
That being said, be friendly towards everyone. It’s good to smile, make a little small talk, remember people’s names. A little bit goes a long way, and someone remembering little things about you could make your day.
Use your meal plan! Seriously, get that late night pizza from the Sparket. Sooner than you know, the Bank of Mom and Dad will refuse to pay for your groceries and you’ll have to drive to get late night food.
You’re here to have fun, but don’t go too wild and out. Honestly, you may not remember the party you went to, but you will remember how you bombed a test the next day. That class that you got a B in because you went out too much will haunt you junior year when you’re applying for internships. You’re taking classes that could boost your GPA—you’ll regret not taking advantage of it when you’re staying in on a Saturday to study for that upper level class that is impossible to get an A in. So go to class, listen to your professors, do the readings and participate. #Investinyourfuture and so on.
It’s okay to be homesick. If you find yourself wanting to cry from homesickness, and missing your high school boyfriend, and wishing you were with your “real” friends (because that’s what they are now), talk it out. Everyone is feeling the same way.
Embrace differences, and learn from your peers. There are so many new people with new opinions and experiences; learn from them. Be open minded. Know that you’re not always right.
Welcome to the next four years of your life. The best, as they say.
Decorate your room so it feels like home, because it is now. Listen to good music, eat good food, and take care of yourself. Remember to spend time alone—this is an environment where everyone is literally on top of each other—take a step back to breathe every once in a while.
Cheers to college,
Mary