http://gph.is/1PLVvRFI think most people heading to college have this notion that college is incredibly overwhelming and usually not what you've been expecting. That can be true, but sometimes the opposite can be true. Here are some of the most important things that I learned during my first year.
1. You will spend A LOT more money on fast food than you ever thought possible.
It's honestly ridiculous.
2. Don't run yourself into the ground with credits.
I'm not saying you should take three credit hours in one semester, but you're going to have to make adjustments and learn how to manage your time. It's better you do that when you don't have 16 credits on your plate.
3. If you have a car, make sure that you aren't letting people bum rides off of you all year.
Gas money adds up almost as fast as the money you spend on fast food does.
4. Alone time is literally INVALUABLE.
Even if it's just 21 minutes watching an episode of a Netflix show or a quick trip to the grocery store. It does wonderful things to just have a few minutes away from the routine.
5. Speaking of routine, it can get really easy to fall into a monotonous schedule that you'll eventually end up despising.
Switch it up sometimes! Eat lunch with different folks, study at different places, and on the weekends, do something fun!!
6. Taking care of your mental health becomes monumentally harder, but so much more important.
It became so easy for me to just fall into a major depression and have no desire to do anything, and that is not cool, especially when you have papers to write and assigned reading to do. Try to surround yourself with people who will encourage you, and if you feel so inclined, find an accountability partner!
7. Try to go to at least a few of the school sponsored events.
Though meeting people at parties is the more favorable route, sometimes school sponsored events can actually be pretty fun.
8. Become involved!
This is something I didn't do this year, but I plan on doing next year. When you become involved with clubs or groups, it becomes very easy to find people with similar interest, and by that route, make friends with like-minded people.
9. Don't lose track of what you believe.
When you get thrown into a melting pot of people, it can become very easy to try to downplay what you believe in order to "fit in" or not step on any toes. But I can assure you, no matter what you believe, there is always going to be at least one other person who believes the same thing. And if you keep quiet, how will they ever find you?
10. You are not going to be able to be best friends with all the people you want to.
There's an incredible amount of awesome people that you're going to meet and there are going to be some people that you feel you just HAVE to be friends with. Whether because of schedules or fundamental differences, there are going to be some of these people that just aren't going to be able to meet your needs. And that's okay! Don't waste your time thinking about what might have been; instead, go out and make new things happen!
This doesn't even begin to sum up what I've learned this year, but I feel like it may be some of the most important things. But no matter what you're going through in your college experience, I hope you know that there is DEFINITELY someone else going through the same thing.
