I've been out of school for nearly a month and I probably should have written this a long time ago, but I'm writing it now because late is better than never. My freshman year of college was nothing like I expected it to be. In between the long days in the library and standing in line trying to get into Annenberg at 1pm after Ec10 released hoards of students, I found myself navigating the confusing time that is college and learning some incredible lessons. Most of the things on this list are extremely cliché, but in my 19 years of life I have found that the most cliché things are often the most true.
1. Try to do your laundry semi-frequently, and do it at odd hours.
I somehow got in the habit of doing my laundry weekly. I went at 9am on Monday mornings when the laundry room was completely deserted. Trust me, wearing fresh clothes everyday is a lot more fun than re-wearing underwear.
2. Call your parents.
They care about you and want to hear about how your day is going even if the most exciting thing you've done all day is eat a burrito. That awkward 34 minutes it takes to do your laundry is a great time to call home because talking to mom is always better than mindlessly scrolling through Facebook to kill time.
3. Don't buy your books from the Coop.
There are way cheaper options elsewhere.
4. Go to bed early.
I'm much more of a morning person than a night owl. Most of the time, I went to bed between 11pm and 12am, sometimes earlier. It is possible to get all your work done before then. There is truly nothing better than a good night's sleep.
5. Start studying for your exams early and try not to procrastinate.
When Netflix is calling your name it can be very difficult to not give in. But let's face it, that expos paper isn't going to write itself and pulling all-nighters the day before an exam is never fun. Write your papers a week in advance, start studying a few days before your exam, and don't try to convince yourself that you can totally finish three problem sets the morning before they're due.
6. Get to know your professors.
It's no surprise that many of the professors at Harvard are some of the most intelligent people you will ever come across. Go to Office Hours and get to know your professors because they are some of the greatest assets you have at Harvard.
7. Go to the IOP and see as many famous speakers as you can.
Famous people love to come speak at Harvard. There are always so many incredible people giving talks at the IOP and in Sanders Theater. To name a few, I've seen Al Gore, Stephen Hawking, Pedro Martinez, Jeh Johnson, and James Watson. These are once in a lifetime opportunities, so don't let the chance to see these incredible people and hear their amazing talks slip away.
8. Learn about Harvard's history and traditions.
As we all know, Harvard is wicked old. It has a rich history and no shortage of strange traditions, from streaking through the Yard to peeing on statues. Participating can be a lot of fun, but even if you're not comfortable doing some of these things they're still part of what makes Harvard, well, Harvard.
9. Go into Boston and explore the city.
I'm from Massachusetts so I've been to Boston dozens of times, but there are still so many hidden treasures that the city has to offer. I didn't go into Boston nearly as frequently as I would have liked to, but there are so many things to do there. The Freshman Dean's Office also offers freshmen Through the Gates activities, where students are encouraged to get out of the Cambridge bubble and explore Boston.
10. Try new things.
This sounds a bit cliché, but some of my favorite memories come from the times I went outside my comfort zone and tried something new. Go to the salsa dancing workshop during Opening Days, try Zumba at 7am, join a random but intriguing club. If something exciting comes up, just go and do it because you might not ever have the chance to do it again.
