Freshman year of college is full of firsts. It's a year of excitement, a year of freedom and a year where you begin to discover who you really are. You begin to learn about what you're capable of, what interests you and what you hope to do for the rest of your life. Not only that, but you learn some major lessons that perhaps you wouldn't learn anywhere else. Here are some of the top lessons that freshman year has taught me.
1. How to be independent.
Being independent isn't just about doing your own laundry or making your own money, it's also about making the right choices for yourself. Be selfish in every way if it means doing what's best for you.
2. That some relationships aren't meant to last forever.
In high school, I believed that relationships could never be broken if you tried hard enough to maintain them. But, college changes people. We all grow and change with time. Sometimes people go their separate paths and its just part of growing up.
3. It's okay to be alone.
The first few months of freshman year may be your loneliest. You may not find your best friends right away, so it takes soe time to figure out where you fit in and who you are as a person. Alone time can be an opportunity to think about what you hope to do with your future and how you can accomplish different goals you have for yourself.
4. Keep in touch with your high school friends.
While college presents a whole new group of friends, it also ultimately leads to a whole new life. Don't forget your friends back home and shoot them a text every once and a while.
6. Cherish your family.
Before college I took the importance of family for granted. Family was something that I was always surrounded with. But as soon as I moved away, I realized how much I needed my family's support. Be sure to call mom and dad whenever you get the chance.
7. Be Yourself.
When meeting new people, it's important to just be yourself right off the bat. Being yourself makes making the right friends a whole lot easier.
8. "Adulting" is hard.
Having to run a million errands, clean your room, do laundry, and budgeting money is no funny business. Throw in an average college course load and things get a whole lot more interesting.
9. Naps aren't just for children.
Naps are just an essential part of life, and that's a fact.
10. College is an academic learning experience as well as a life experience.
I've been told that these four years will go by faster than I could ever imagine. Learn as much as you can from others, and take the chance to learn more about yourself.
