Because I am the first one in my family to go to college, I had no idea what to expect. Coming to college was like moving to a foreign country for me. The only thing I had to go off of was what I had seen in the movies and a few kind words from people. I can assure you that you will never truly understand what college is like until you get there. College is the place where you figure out who you are and what you want to do with the rest of your life, so you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride..
1. Your roommate will become your best friend.
When I came to college, I did not know who my roommate was and that was very scary to me. The first week or two can be a bit awkward because you are still trying to get to know each other. Then one day you two will just click, and once you do, your life will change! My roommate is now my best friend and when she is gone I get sad because I miss her so much. Your roommate is someone to rant to and someone to help you through your struggles, and more importantly, they are just someone who will be a friend. It's like a match made in heaven and I don't know how I would survive college without her. Our jam sessions, Disney movie nights and all of our memories make the awkwardness of walking in to your room to see a half-naked girl, who not too long ago was a stranger, all worth it.
2. You will miss your family and friends but you will miss your furry little friends even more!
Sorry Mom and Dad but I think that I can speak for us all when I say that nothing is better than a little TLC from our four-legged friends! But don't feel too bad, because we do love and miss you too!
3. Looking cute for class is no longer a thing.
In high school we all tried to look our best and show off our newest clothes, but in college you are lucky if you even get changed out of your PJs for class. In college, the popular style seems to be, "I just got out of bed five minutes before my 9 a.m. and barely had enough time to brush my teeth."
4. You will binge watch Netflix like there is no tomorrow.
When you only have three channels on your tv and nothing else to do, Netflix will be your best friend. This year alone I have watched more Netflix than I have in my entire life.
5. Care packages and homemade meals feel like Christmas.
When you were at home and Mom used to make dinner, you never thought twice about it. Now the highlight of your week will be mail from home even if the only things in that care package are chips and a pair of socks. It is nice to know that someone cares!
6. Always keep tons of snacks in your dorm room.
Because who doesn't want to munch on their favorite snacks while they are binge watching "Grey's Anatomy" for the second time.
7. Going Greek is one of the best things that you can do.
I have only been Greek for a few weeks now but I love it. There is nothing better than knowing that you have a group of people that will be there to help and support you in everything that you do. Even in these few short weeks it has helped me become a better version of myself.
8. You don't have to drink to have fun, even if others do.
I will tell you right now that if you spend your weekends in your room alone then some day you are going to look back at your college experience and regret it. The social life is a huge part of college and I would advise you to go out with your friends even if you don't drink. There is nothing wrong with going out just to have fun and not drinking, and on the plus side your friends will have you there to keep an eye on them and to tell them about all of the hilarious things they said the night before.
9. Going home is heartbreaking because you miss all of your friends and especially your bed back at school.
When you get to college you are going to make so many new friends and you will love it there, so when you go home you will miss them all! At school your bed becomes your favorite place to be because it is comfy and safe, so you will miss that when you're at home too!
10. It is OK to take a break from studying when your friends invite you to join in on a 2 a.m. Taco Bell run!
We have to remember that for most of us we only go to college for four years and so we should take some time to make great memories and have fun with our friends.
11. Get your work done first so you can "party" with a free conscience.
You shouldn't be in college to party, you should be there to better your life and education so your work should always come first. It works better that way because once all of your work is done you will really be able to relax and have fun.
12. Take tons of pictures.
You might not think about it now, but someday you are going to want to be able to look back at those pictures and think about all of the good times that you had in college. By taking pictures, you get to show everyone the experiences that you are having in college, and I'm sure that your parents would love to see how much fun you are having too! Plus, maybe someday you will want to show you children what college was like when you went!
13. Make sure you keep in touch with your loved ones back home.
Even though some of them might not understand how the whole college thing works, they all still love and miss you very much! Sending a simple text, or making a phone call or FaceTime, anything counts when the ones you love are missing you!
14. Thank your parents.
After all, you wouldn't be here without them! Your parents love and care for you very much and they will do anything to make sure that you live a good life even if that means sending you off to college for a couple years and only seeing you on breaks. It is just as hard, if not harder, for us to be gone. but remember that you are here and able to make them proud!
15. This is the time of your life so don't forget to live.
College is a time to figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life. It is a time to explore and have experiences with people that you never would have imagined. So in the middle of all of your homework, exams, and all of the craziness just don't forget to live a little.
