Being in college definitely teaches, and maybe sometimes forces, you to adapt to and be flexible with a lot of new situations that are being thrown at you. There are many new situations that will be present when you get to college. There are both new and old experiences that everyone will go through. Not all of the college firsts will be the most exciting times, but they will always make you a better person because you went through them.
1. Your first time living with strangers.
Living with someone you have never met before, other than over the sometimes awkward Facebook pairing, can be scary. For me, I had to adjust to living with three girls that I had only talked to over Facebook and text. We always grow up hearing that college roommates can sometimes be absolutely awful and you can get stuck with the roommate from hell. Then there is the other side, that your college roommate will be your best friend for life. Sometimes people get stuck with that roommate from hell, but it is a lot more common to find someone who will be your lifelong friend. Of course it is hard to adjust to living with people you have never met, but you will quickly adjust to their living styles just as they will adjust to yours. As long as you are always straight forward and honest with your roommates about things that bother you, everything will work out.
2. Your first night away from your parents.
The first night away from your parents is always hard, but I actually found that the third night was the hardest. The first night is more exciting because you are adjusting to everything new and you're so excited to be in a new place. But by the third night, a lot of the excitement has worn off and you're starting to get tired and that is when you start to miss your home, your own bed, your friends from home, and your parents. This feeling will eventually go away after a few nights and a few calls home to talk to your parents.
3. Your first college class
I was so intimidated walking into my first college class. I had no idea what to expect and the moment I walked into the room, I felt like an idiot. i was scared that I was unprepared compared to everyone else, but I had this feeling before I had even talked to anyone in the class and before the teacher had even begun teaching. I stressed myself out for nothing because it turned out that my high school prepared me for college classes very well, but it was just getting over the factor of intimidation that was hard for me.
4. Your first college party.
The first party I went to in college was the first weekend I was there and it was unlike any other party. It was a lot more laid back than I had expected. The movies always show college parties as complete ragers, every single weekend, but that isn't always the case. Of course there are times where there are ragers, but there are also parties that aren't like that at all. Each college has different styles of parties, but the majority of them will have a little bit of everything so everyone will be able to find a situation they feel comfortable in.
5. Your first college exam.
I was so scared and nervous for my first college exam that I studied for two full days before the actual exam. The first exam is always scary for a new class, but it is important to remember that you are at that school because you were smart enough to get in, therefore, you are smart enough to get through the classes there.
6. Your first time being sick without your parents.
This is probably my least favorite part of being in college. It seems like every direction I turn, someone is coughing or sneezing. I felt like I was sick the entire second half of the first semester, and I had both an ear infection and a sinus infection during first semester finals week. I missed having my mom there to cover me up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket and watch TV shows with me all day. I also miss being able to miss a day of school without missing a good weeks worth of information. Missing just one class in college requires so much extra makeup work than missing multiple full days in high school.
7. Your first midterm/finals week.
High school finals do not prepare you for midterms or finals at all. There will be a lot of stress, little sleep, and maybe even a few tears. Midterms and finals suck, but choose to look at them as an accomplishment instead. You made it this far, and you're that much closer to being done with that class. You will make it through finals, they suck but you're never alone in taking them.
8. Your first time back home in months.
Coming home for the first time will be so nice. You will get to spend time with your family and see all your friends from home. It's nice to be in a familiar area again, especially if you went to a college several hundred miles away from where you grew up. Make sure you spend time with your friends from home when you can because a lot of the time breaks don't line up, so when they do make sure you take advantage of it.
9. Your first college accomplishment.
My first college accomplishment was making it on to the Freshman Leadership Team. I was so excited about this and it made me want to try so much harder in my classes and it made me want to have many more accomplishments. This accomplishment really made me strive toward much larger goals and eventually led me to applying to, and getting into, Georgetown for the summer.
10. Your first time being completely responsible for your own actions.
College is all about learning responsibility and being able to take care of yourself and survive on your own. Having so much responsibility all of a sudden can be scary, but it is also exciting at the same time. Knowing that you're the one who is in charge of everything you do means that you have to grow up a lot in such a short amount of time, but it also means that you are one step closer to being a full adult.
11. Your first year at college.
College is filled with a lot of firsts. It is filled with some amazing memories that you are going to have for the rest of your life. It's filled with people that are going to be in your life for many years to come. College is the place to try a million things and make a million mistakes. It's about discovering who you are and who you want to be. College is about growing up and becoming who you are supposed to be. It is about maturing and growing from all your past experiences and mistakes.
