Now that freshman year of college has come and gone, it is amazing to look back and see how much our lives have changed since first setting foot on campus in the fall. Freshman year of college is one of the most exciting, terrifying, challenging, confusing, and fun times of your life, and that is what makes it so wonderful in so many ways. So here is a list of all of the factors that make your freshman year so incredibly beautiful:
1. You have a fresh slate; you can be whoever you want to be.
Who you were in high school does not have to define who you are now. The majority of the people at college have no idea who you are or where you came from. If you did not like the person you were in high school, this is your time to become who you've always wanted to be.
2. All of the stupid things you worried about in high school become completely irrelevant.
Gone are the days where you hyperventilate over not having found a prom date. No one cares anymore that you don't have the newest model iPhone or the most expensive shoes. There's no cliques or popular kids or geeks. Everyone is just there to find out where they belong in the world, and they respect that you're doing the same.
3. You make so many mistakes, but they all become either laughable memories or at least valuable lessons.
It is inevitable that you will make many, many mistakes throughout the course of your freshman year. These can range from oversleeping your first two classes, to having a little too wild of a Saturday night. When you are living on your own for the first time, your new-found freedom means that you have many choices to make for yourself. Sometimes they will be the right ones, and sometimes they will be the wrong ones, but at the end of the day, you will come out on top having learned something new about yourself.
4. There are infinite new ways to get involved.
There is a club or group for just about anything you can think of at college. And the best part is, no one cares or judges you for how you choose to get involved. Whether it's club Quidditch, robot football, mock trial, intramural frisbee, or Greek life, you find people with shared interests and develop friendships.
5. You finally get to start learning what you're passionate about.
Sure, you have to suffer through some Gen. Eds. first. But freshman year of college is when you start to get a taste of what it is that you might want to do for the rest of your life. You get to figure out what makes you excited to learn, what doesn't, and how you can incorporate that knowledge into finding the best career path for you.
6. You experience for the first time the magic of a Christmas break that is an actual break.
Christmas break is at the end of the first semester, so all of your classes are over. This means you don't have to write three papers and study for four tests while driving to Christmas Eve dinner at Grandma's! And it's three weeks to a month rather than two weeks. Score!
7. You are finally treated like an adult.
With the exception of a few patronizing professors, people treat you like you are an adult. Though this means more responsibility, it also means more freedom. No one is there to tell you what to do; you get to make your own choices.
8. The time spent away from your family makes you appreciate them more.
You realize that there is absolutely nothing on the planet better than one of your mom's home-cooked meals. You get along with your siblings better when you finally get to see them again. This is a case where distance definitely does wonders.
9. You meet so many different types of people from different places and different backgrounds, and it gives you a new perspective on the world.
The people you meet your freshman year are all unique and by talking to them, you are exposed to new ideas and perspectives that you didn't know existed before. It is truly an eye-opening experience.
10. You form life-long friendships.
When you get involved and meet interesting new people, you find the type of friends you want to stay in touch with the rest of your life. And your bond with these people is especially unique because you go through the crazy freshman year experience together.
11. At the end of the year, all of your new knowledge, relationships, and experiences make you a stronger person.
Walking out of freshman year, you feel as though you've conquered the world.
Freshman year is an insane time of your life filled with ups and downs. But in the end, you will feel like a different person with a lifetime of memories and new experiences. So those of you who have completed freshman year, reminisce on the beauty of it. And those of you who are going to start it this fall, get excited! You are in for the ride of your life.
