All four years of high school you are consistently told that these will be the best four years of your life, and that these are the years that are going to prepare you for college. Boy were they wrong.
1. You are not as independent as you think you are.
Going into your first semester of college you feel like you're finally an adult, and then three weeks in you realize you're broke, have no food, and have zero idea what you're doing. Time to call mom for some helpful life advice.
2. Your professors will not baby you like your high school teachers did.
In high school you have a more one-on-one relationship with your teachers, with college that's not the case. They won't baby you and they leave it up to you to keep track of how well you're doing in their class. Make sure you are checking your grades and forming good study habits to keep ahead of the game in your classes.
3. You really took your moms cooking for granted.
Dining hall food seems okay for the first day or two but after a while you'd rather just make a pack of Ramen and call it a day. And you can't wait to go home for Thanksgiving break and finally get to eat some real food.
4. Even if you don't like the dining hall food you still seem to eat enough of it to gain the freshman fifteen.
It doesn't matter how many miles you have to walk to get to class or how many flights of stairs you have to climb, the freshman fifteen is real.
5. The gym will become your best friend.
Classes will get stressful and you'll need something to help you blow off some steam. Working out is one of the best ways to help you get rid of some of that stress and clear your head.
6. Find your classrooms ahead of time.
New places are scary. The first day of college classes are scary. Not knowing where you're going on the first day of classes is a nightmare. Make time to go find the buildings your classes are in and go find your specific classrooms. This saves time on the first day of classes and you'll be less stressed out.
7. Upperclassmen are really helpful and the best people to ask for class/college advice.
They were a freshman once too, they are more than willing to answer any questions you have and help point you in the right direction. All you have to do is ask.
8. Showing up to class looking like you rolled out of bed every day is perfectly acceptable.
We are all in college and realize that it is tiring and stressful, we don't judge.
9. You will have multiple mental breakdowns per semester and that's okay.
You will question your major multiple times and question how you even got into college. One bad exam grade is not the end of the world and I promise you are going to get through it.
10. You have a new found appreciation for your big warm comfy bed whenever you go home.
You will cry when you have to leave your big warm bed to go back to the twin XL one that's waiting for you back at school.
College is great and it's the perfect time to start figuring out how to be independent. Being on your own is hard at first but you'll get used to it. And you can always call your mom if you need a little extra help.
