I've seen a lot of these posts about students' first years away at school so I figured why not do one myself, right?
I moved about three hours from home and currently go to a school in Maryland, after spending 18 years of my life in New Jersey. It was tough at first, really tough, and all I wanted to do was go back home. Now it's already my second semester, spring break is next week and now I find myself not wanting to make the road trip back to the "Armpit of America."
In saying that, I decided to come up with this list of the 10 most important things that I learned during my first semester of college.
1. Moving away from home is hard.
It is easily one of the hardest things you'll have to do. It's right up there with getting married and having kids. However, once you get adjusted and settled it's one of the best things you'll ever do. Yeah, it will take some time but they say good things take time. I had a difficult time during the adjustment process of it all. I cried for three days straight, barely ate, and I'm pretty sure I freaked all my roommates out because they didn't know what they were getting into with me. But it got better and a lot easier as each day went on. I started getting into my own routine and it became more natural and normal for me. The first few days will be tough, you'll deal with some tears (maybe), separation anxiety, and most of your time will be spent calling your mom, but trust me, you'll see her again before you know it.
2. Living with other girls (or other guys if any dudes are reading this) is definitely a thing to get used to, but it's an easy thing to adjust to.
I live with three other girls and they are so amazing and I love each of them with my whole heart. I grew up being the oldest and only girl of three. I have two younger brothers. One is 15 years old and the other is 9. I had no idea what it was like to live with "sisters" but I lucked out with this group of ladies; we're all basically the same person and we get along really well. It kind of stinks when we go on breaks because they're all from Maryland and I have to make the trip all the way back to NJ. We're sure to make plans to see each other, though.
3. It's perfectly OK to have more guy friends than girl friends.
Not in a sexual kind of way, just as in a friendly type relationship. Speaking from experience, I've always preferred to have more friends that were guys as opposed to girls. Don't get me wrong, I have some incredibly special girl friends in my life but for the most part, guys carry a lot less drama with them. These are the guys who will help you run away from that one drunk creep who keeps following you around at a party, the guys who will give you a back message when you're stressing over finals, and the guys who will sit up with you until 3 a.m. while you complain about your own boyfriend from back home. Keep these guys in your life; they'll be your non-biological big brothers.
4. Freedom is an amazingly beautiful thing.
That being said, freedom must not be taken advantage of. Yes, you're in college and yes, long are the days when you had to report to your mom or dad about how late you'd be home or where you'd be and what your plans were. But please, please be safe. Never get behind the wheel when you've been drinking, never get in the car with someone else who is intoxicated, never go anywhere alone, and make sure you always have a way to get home safely.
Which brings me to lesson number five:
5. ACADEMICS ALWAYS COME FIRST IN COLLEGE!
How much money are you paying to go here? Unless you're a super athlete or an aspiring rocket scientist and going to school on a full ride scholarship, chances are you're paying a lot of the green stuff. More than a car. A lot more than a car. A lot more than four cars. Yes, college is a big part of the social aspect of your life but work hard for that degree because that is the end goal. Don't waste all your time getting drunk and high because no one wants to be that kid who got kicked out of college. So, what are you waiting for? Stop reading this irrelevant article and hit that statistics book. Kidding, kidding, please keep reading, it's almost the end.
6. Swallow your pride and ask someone for help if you need it.
I've struggled with not being able to ask questions throughout my time in school. I didn't want it to seem as if I didn't understand what could come so easily to someone else. So, I'd sit there with random information swimming around in my brain, nothing sinking in, and try to figure it out myself. When I didn't get it, which most of the time I didn't because what was aforementioned is not an effective way to learn anything, I would give up and hope for the best. Just ask the damn question. It saves time and prevents about a two-hour mental breakdown.
7. Naps are a wonderful thing.
But, they're not so wonderful when they're too long. Having issues with insomnia for pretty much my entire life, sleep and I have never been friends. For the first 10 weeks of the first semester I didn't take one nap. Not even a quick little snooze! But then one afternoon, I took a quick power nap and I slept too long, woke up late, and had to run from one side of campus to the other for my 3 p.m. communications class. No fun. That was the only and last time I tried to take a nap for a while. I'm still not a big nap fan, but I've learned to appreciate them a little more than I used to, which was to not appreciate them at all. If you can, again it's something else that may be tough, try to stick to a short 20-30 minute nap and you'll feel so much better and more awake when you wake up. Set an alarm for it and no snoozing! Give yourself enough time to let your body recharge itself. Get as close to eight hours of sleep a night as possible. Trust me. Your body needs it.
8. Go crazy decorating your dorm room.
Make sure it's a comfortable, cozy room to come back to after a long day of classes. Add some personality to your walls (pictures, posters, canvas art, tapestries, lights, etc...) so it doesn't look like a hospital room. Break out that old Taylor Lautner "Twilight" poster with the lipstick marks on his cheek and stick it up on the wall above your bed. This will make it a lot easier to move in and it will feel a lot more "home-y."
9. Now I know you heard this all throughout high school (I certainly did), but you'll hear it again in college.
GET INVOLVED! OPEN UP! Meet new people and make new friends. You'll meet some of your best friends for life during your time in college. How will you meet those people if you don't step a little outside your comfort zone and bring people in? Get to know the people in your classes and meet up for lunch or dinner or have a study sesh for your upcoming psychology exam. Go to as many football and volleyball games as possible and cheer on your best friends. Go get free coffee at the Q&A in the lounge on the third floor, take that free Monday night Zumba class, and talk to people you wouldn't normally talk to. It's worth it.
10. It's a huge adjustment, your first semester of college, but it's the first step of the best time of your life.
Have the best time of your life in college, but always remember that with great freedom comes great responsibility.
If you're still with me by the time you get all the way down here, I greatly appreciate you reading until the end (10 gold stars for you!) and I thank you. I hope that you can find a few of these that you can either agree with or use to make your first semester of college a great one! Good luck!
