We went from everything being easy to being told to figure our life out. And in our first year at college, we realized some things about the world around us that we love and that we hate. The world is a brutal and beautiful place, and now we get to experience it first hand. Here are some things we have realized as freshmen in college:
1. How great your house actually is.
There are multiple rooms, a backyard and at least one comfy couch. Everything you need is in your house and at your disposal, you didn't realize how much stuff you actually used until you needed to go to the store 15 times getting things you forgot about.
2. How much you rely on your parents.
You do not realize how much you need them until it is 11 p.m., you are freaking out and your mom or dad are not down the hall. They were always there to help you with something you most likely screwed up, but now you have to call them which is just not the same.
3. The ample food supply in your kitchen.
Your bed in your dorm is now a counter to make food and everything you eat is probably processed. When you see any type of fresh food you jump for joy and basically inhale it.
4. Your friends are pretty great.
Do not get me wrong, the people you meet in college are awesome. But your friends back home are special, and you miss their weird quirks every day. A piece of you is missing until you are reunited with them again.
5. College is just hard.
It is nothing like you see in the movies. There is stress every second, a lot of caffeine is consumed during all-nighters and there are a lot of situations that you do not know how to handle.
6. There is a lot about the world you do not know.
We lived in our own little bubble in high school, and then you were thrown into a place where people care, they are passionate and everyone knows something you do not. You can learn something new every day.
7. Your pets are a blessing.
They are always happy to see you, they never betray you and they are just great all the time.
8. What good company your family is.
They are your family, and no matter what, someone is always home to keep you company.
9. You realize everything costs money.
It feels like it costs money to breathe, literally everything costs money. Your poor bank account takes a hit all the time, and there is nothing you can do about it except accept it and move on.
10. People can be mean.
Meeting so many people, you realize that some human beings are just mean. There are some nice people, but other people just live in their own bubble. They think the world revolves around them and you cannot help but look at them with confusion as to what goes on in their head.
11. What true friendship is like.
Friends in college are the people that you can knock on their door at anytime and just ask them for a hug because you need it and they know you need it.
12. Life is full of opportunity.
You get to college and see people making something of themselves. There are so many opportunities to make something of yourself everywhere you go and you have to take advantage of that.
13. Hard work is all that is going to work.
In order to get where you want to be, you are going to have to work at it. Nothing is going to come easy and you are probably going to have to skip on partying sometimes to do somewhat decent on your big test.
14. You are young.
You are going to class with people that are nine years older than you. You have been on this Earth for a lesser time than half the people on campus and sometimes that can be intimidating, but they have a lot of wisdom that you can learn from.
15. You just started the best four years of your life.
The moment you stepped onto your campus for the first time, your life began. You have four years ahead of you that are going to be filled with mystery and opportunity, but they will be four years you will never forget.
