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Dear Freshman Collegiette

Maclane Riley
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Catherine Lowe
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Winthrop chapter.

Dear Freshman Collegiette,

Your first year of college has officially begun! Soon your parents will drop you and all your belongings off at what will be your new home for the next 9 months. You know what that means, no more constant reminders from mom to clean your room and no more of dad scolding you for coming home past curfew.

You’re a big kid now! How exciting is that? But unfortunately being a “big kid” comes with a lot of responsibilities.

Transitioning from a high school senior to a college freshman isn’t as easy as you think—so here are a few tips that might just make that transition a bit easier! 

Stay on top of your assignments.If you think your professors are going to give you daily reminders of when things are due, think again. This isn’t high school. Take your courses seriously, treat school like you would treat a 9-5 job and maybe even throw in a little overtime here and there. Trust me — it won’t kill you.

Step outside your comfort zone.Say goodbye to the little dorm room you’ve been hiding in, and say hello to the person sitting next to you in class! They could potentially be your new best friend.

Don’t procrastinate.It’s so easy to fall into the pattern of climbing back into your bed after that 8 a.m. class and deciding to take a little snooze after a long day of classes, but don’t do it! Trade in that episode on Netflix for your history homework. It will be well worth it later, I promise.

You’re not lame for studying.Get your backpack, your laptop and all your books, and head to the library. Turn your phone off for an hour or so, and submerge yourself in schoolwork. After all, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter will still be there later.

Yes it’s possible to balance school and a social life.Believe it or not, it is possible to balance these two things. It’s definitely not easy, but it can be done. Do what you have to do now, so you can do what you want to do later. Use your free time in between classes to finish up or start on your assignments.  Before you know it, you’ll be ending the semester with a 4.0 GPA!

photo by Maclane Riley ’18

It’s all fun and games until those first midterm grades get posted on Blackboard.It will take you a little bit to get used to the workload of a college student—and that’s okay! You might sometimes prioritize social media or late night hangouts over doing your schoolwork and that’s okay too. But don’t let your grades suffer because of it. Stay on your A game!

Don’t go home every weekend.Being homesick is completely normal, and a visit home every once in a while is great, but don’t make it a routine! College is supposed to be a fun experience, and part of that fun is staying on campus and enjoying your new environment. As soon as you find your group of friends, going home won’t even cross your mind.

Be yourself.Be your goofy, nerdy, optimistic, determined – self. In college you’re going to meet all sorts of people and you’ll find your niche of friends. It’s not worth it to change to feel like you fit in.

Keep an open mind.College can be a lot of things: Intimidating, confusing, difficult, overwhelming…should I continue?  But the one thing you need to do is to keep an open mind about it. You’re about to experience one of the most stressful, busiest and also the most amazing years of your life. Enjoy it while you can!

 

Enjoy every second of your freshman year, collegiette. It flies by way too fast.

HCXO 

 

Follow Maclane on Twitter and Instagram @maclaneriley

Maclane is a senior Integrated Marketing Communications major at Winthrop University from Columbia, SC. Most of her time is spent doing homework or working. Maclane is obsessed with pugs, but she's slightly more obsessed with her little brother who means the world to her. Pizza is her absolute favorite! More favorites include naps, time spent with her friends, and still laughing at a joke 5 minutes after it's told. Maclane is a phenomenal writer who is comfortable writing about uncomfortable subjects. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @maclaneriley and Snapchat: carleymacriley
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Catherine is an ambitious twenty-something woman living in Rock Hill, South Carolina where she attends Winthrop University as a mass communication major. She is the President and Campus Correspondent for Her Campus at Winthrop, which she co-founded in November 2014. She has also been a member of the Winthrop chapter of the Association for Women in Communications, and is currently the President of the Society of Professional Journalists chapter at Winthrop. Since being involved with Her Campus, Catherine received an internship at Her Campus Media in Boston, MA. She also currently works as a Chapter Advisor for the company and writes about Grey's Anatomy each week for the site. Because of Her Campus, she has also received writing positions at many publications throughout her 3 years at Winthrop. Outside of her busy lifestyle, Catherine enjoys relaxing with her friends on the weekends and having Sex and the City marathons. She can't live without her dog, family, Cosmopolitan, friends, Starbucks, Instagram, The Bachelor, Grey's Anatomy and of course Chick-fil-A. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter: @cathclowe!