As a freshman in college, I've learned that things are pretty different to how I thought they'd be. Classes are not as hard as I assumed, dorms suck, and it's so hard to make friends. Every freshman learns valuable lessons early on. Here are just some of them.
1. No one cares about you.
Okay, this probably sounds really mean. But trust me, it's a good thing! In high school, it seemed like everything people did was important. But in college, literally no one cares about what you're wearing, who you're hanging out with, or what your hobbies are. College is the best time to be true to yourself.
2. Your mental health is so important.
Mental health is super important in college. You're dealing with a lot of changes, and you're probably super stressed. Taking time to focus on yourself and make sure you're doing okay mentally is okay, and should be done. Most colleges even offer counselling on campus-take advantage of it.
3. Not all friendships will last.
When starting somewhere new, its easy to want to make friends with the first people you meet. Maybe you met people at orientation, or during move-in day. While it's possible you'll stay close with these people, it isn't always the case. Losing and gaining friends is something that happens often, and it's okay. Eventually you'll find people who become your family away from home.
4. Dining hall food is terrible.
No matter what your school told you at orientation, your dining hall food probably sucks. It'll get old super fast, and you'll be spending way more time (and money) ordering food, or going to other on-campus options. Make sure you change your dining plan to something cheaper as soon as you can.
5. It's okay to cry.
Everyone denies it, but I'm pretty sure almost every college student cries during freshman year. Whether its from homesickness, stress or simply because your favorite character died on Grey's Anatomy (thanks, Shonda Rhimes ), crying happens. And it's okay, because it's normal. You'll pick yourself up and feel better after having some ice cream.
6. Morning classes suck.
In high school, I had to wake up at 7am every morning. I hated it, but I did it. So I figured waking up for a 9am class in college wouldn't be a problem. I was wrong. So, so wrong. Morning classes, while sometimes unavoidable, are a nightmare to deal with. Be careful when making your schedule, guys.
7. You will appreciate people at home more.
I don't go to school too far from home, but I still miss my family and friends whenever I'm away. Not seeing them every day is hard sometimes. But it just makes me appreciate them so much more when I am with them. I even get along with my annoying little brother now!
8. "Adulting" is hard.
Chances are, if you're in college, you're an adult. And you've quickly realized that it kind of sucks. We went from having to ask just to go to the bathroom, to having to make decisions entirely on our own. It's a lot to handle sometimes, and it's okay to call your mom for help occasionally. You'll get the hang of things eventually.
9. Alone time is a blessing.
Sharing a room with another person, (or maybe other people) is a lot to get used to. Sharing a bathroom, a fridge, a microwave...it's a lot of sharing. You'll find that any alone time you get is amazing. So use it wisely! (Aka: binge-watch netlfix and eat candy right out of a bag).
10. You have to forget FOMO.
Fear of Missing Out is serious in college. There is always something going on, whether its on campus or off. But you have to accept that you just won't make it to everything. Skipping out on homework and studying to hang out with friends isn't always a good idea.
11. Studying is difficult.
I never really needed to study in high school. In my opinion, college is much easier than high school was, but that doesn't mean I can skip studying here, too. If you want to do better than just get a passing grade, you need to put in the work for it. Studying and actually reading over assignments will go a long way. Time management is also super important.
12. Your planner will become your best friend.
I've always been the type of person to need to list things out, and write on calendars. I still never imagined how important that would become in college, though. College life is always busy, and if you don't use a planner to keep track of it all, you'll end up super stressed.
13. Naps.
I used to think people over the age of five were insane if they took naps. Now I feel like I'm going crazy if I don't get a nap in daily. College is stressful and at times painful, so napping to forget about it for a while is nice. Plus college life leaves little room for sleep at night, so you'll need to catch up.
14. Everyone is struggling.
It might seem like everyone around you has their whole life figured out, but they don't. Everyone is struggling with the changes college brings, and probably questioning themselves. You're not alone in feeling overwhelmed; it's totally normal.
15. It's okay to question yourself.
Maybe you started college thinking your dream job was to be a nurse, but the second you saw a needle you changed your mind. That's okay. People switch majors all the time, and it's alright to not be completely sure what you want. You can, and will figure it out.
16. Be nice to everyone.
You ever hear that quote, "everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about"? Well, it's really true. You have no idea what other people are going through. They could be having the worst day of their life and you could never know. So, be kind to whoever you run into on and off campus. Your kindess will go a long way.
