Like most 18 year olds who will be heading to college in the fall, I could not have been more excited for what my future had in store for me after graduation. To prepare for the fabulous future that I had anticipated, I bought a surplus of throw pillows, an excessive amount of Audrey Hepburn wall décor, and had closely followed the advice of hundreds of Pinterest articles on what to bring with me for my first year. As much as I tried to prepare, my first year of college ended up being nothing like the glamorous, movie-like life that I had fooled myself into believing it would be. In hindsight, these are twelve pieces of advice that I would have actually found helpful before my first day of undergrad.
1. You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate
You don’t even have to be friends with your roommate. If it turns out that you find yourself in a truly toxic roommate situation, don’t feel guilty about moving out. It isn’t worth the damage that it will cause your mental health.
2. Take initiative to meet new people instead of relying on others
Don’t rely on your roommate or anyone else to help make more friends for you. It’s super awkward at times but some of the best relationships can be started by just wandering into someone’s room and striking up a conversation. Go to your floor dinners, even if you don’t think you would mesh well with those people; you can never have enough friends.
3. Your first friend group doesn’t have to be your last
While the first few weeks of school may feel like everyone is quickly forming cliques, don’t feel like you only have to be friends with those people, and definitely don’t stop making an effort to meet more people. Chances are, your best friends won’t even be a part of that first group.
4. Choose your classes carefully
Unfortunately, sometimes advisors just suck. If you have the feeling that yours is trying to sabotage your life, request a different one. Like with all advice, take what your advisor says with a grain of salt. If they try to convince you to fulfill a GE requirement with a class that is known to be impossible at your school, ignore them and find something else to replace it. Ask upperclassmen for easy GEs to take, or look up class or teacher reviews, anything to avoid sinking your GPA before it’s even been given the chance to float.
5. For the love of God, join a club or something
One of the reasons that my first semester in college was so hard was because I virtually only went to class and my room. I shut myself off from the world every opportunity I could find. I made one attempt to join a club, and even went to one of their house parties. However, after one of their members threw up on me, I never went back. Keep trying. The best fit is rarely the first one that you try. Likewise, if you go to the activity fair, don’t sign up for every single one; I’m still getting those emails.
6. You will get fat if all you do is snack
Believe me when I say that you don’t need to go grocery shopping every week if you have a full meal plan. Being surrounded by snacks combined with a lack of self-control leads to speedy weight gain. Walking to class won’t burn off enough calories to prevent you from joining the freshman fifteen…or forty club. Go workout at the gym that you pay so much money for through tuition.
7. Make a connection with a professor
If you go to a big school like I do, chances are you will just be another dot in a sea of lecture students for the first two years. By going to office hours, sitting in the front rows, or just making an effort to say “Good morning” each class, you can start to build a relationship that can prove to be very valuable down the road, not to mention that a professor who knows your name can make the school feel a lot smaller.
8. There are some people who only have bad intentions
They won’t look like the evil villains on TV, and they may not even be strangers. Don’t let yourself become a victim if you can control it. Carry pepper spray with you, don’t walk alone at night, and most importantly, follow your intuition. You don’t have to justify to anyone why you feel uncomfortable, just remove yourself from the situation.
9. Try something you’ve always wanted
There is no better time than college to try everything you’ve wanted to. Don’t let your fear of the unknown prevent you from accomplishing what you desire. It’s better to dye your hair hot pink now than when you’re a real adult with a career.
10. The number of guys who give you attention doesn’t determine your self-worth
Just enjoy going out with your friends. Spend more time making memories with them instead of wondering why the hot frat guy at the bar hasn’t bought you a drink yet. Dress for yourself, not men.
11. It’s a marathon, not a sprint
As the old saying goes, everyone loves a party girl until she throws up on your shoes. Learn to pace yourself. You won’t have memories to look back on if you can’t remember them.
12. It gets easier
First semester was awful. Second semester was confusing. But the third and fourth were blurs of magical unicorns. You will develop new organizational strategies and routines. Life begins to feel more comfortable. Don’t beat yourself up over the small things; it takes everyone a different amount of time to adjust.
The first year of college is something that no amount of YouTube videos or Pinterest articles can properly prepare you for. Just try your best, and hang on.
