My freshman year of college was by far the hardest year of my entire life. I made a lot of mistakes. But I bounced back after taking a few punches. In the end, it made me a much better person. There are a lot of things that I wish I could take back, though. My life was honestly as dramatic as a season finale of "One Tree Hill." Somebody really should have given me a survival guide on how to not screw up my plans for the future (or maybe I should have watched the show earlier and learned from Queen B. Davis). But I wasn’t that lucky, so I want to use my faulty experiences to help other clueless high school graduates move forward on a less complicated path. Looking back from my senior year, I feel like these are the 20 most important things to tell a rising freshman:
1. Eating healthy is just as important as you think.
You will probably gain weight no matter what you eat, just because of the stress of a new environment. It's inevitable. Don't drive yourself crazy about it, but do establish a healthy routine so you can feel good!
2. You don’t have to join every club that you come across.
You can't put enough effort into all of them to make it worth your time.
3. You should be involved, though.
If you were involved in high school, staying busy could be good for you. Channel your energy by finding a few good causes or groups that you can really get behind.
4. Avoiding signing up for morning classes is really important.
You used to get up at 6:30 every day for high school, so an 8, 9 or even 10 a.m. class has to be just another part of the routine, right? WRONG. You think you can do it, but it's so dang hard to drag out of bed before a morning class.
5. Nobody will judge you if you have to drop a class.
College classes are (usually) no joke. Practically everyone has been there. Struggling through a class when you can drop it is not worth ruining your record (or repeating it later).
6. Also, nobody cares how long it takes you to get your degree.
Again, college is no joke. It might take a year or two to really figure out what you want to do, and you might struggle to get to the end. It's OK! Nobody is going to mind how long it took you to cross the finish line, as long as you cross it.
7. In general, nobody cares about anything.
People are pretty much just concerned with themselves. You should be concerned with you.
8. Going to class is the most important thing, though.
You won't pass if you don't attend. It's not possible.
9. You don’t have to have a 4.0 GPA.
Perfect marks don't matter. (You have to have a certain GPA to graduate, though.)
10. But you do have to try your best.
If you don't try your best in class, you won't try your best in life. It's good to keep yourself going with achievement in mind.
11. It’s important to push your limits.
Challenge yourself, you'll probably thrive.
12. You have to learn them first.
Learning your limits in all areas of life is crucial. You'll take up a few bad habits and then drop them. Teach yourself about yourself.
13. You don’t have to drink if it’s not your thing.
You'll be better off if you're happy. Drinking isn't for everybody, and it can be really bad. Don't give into peer pressure. (Unless it's something you truly enjoy, and in that case, please be safe.)
14. It’s not cool to put yourself in danger.
Hospital gowns look bad on everybody. You'll get made fun of more than respected.
15. You won’t regret the nights you didn’t get any sleep, as long as you can remember them (fondly).
Self explanatory. You'll probably have a few regrets.
16. Making a lot of friends really isn’t that important.
Quality over quantity.
17. Being friendly is a great way to make connections, though.
Connections will make life post-grad easier. Make the best of it, and always smile at strangers.
18. Freedom isn’t exactly free.
You pay a lot to go to college. Respect how you got there. Pay your dues and earn your future.
19. Life is all about balance.
If you have a flat tire, your car won't work properly. Your life won't work properly if one side is weighted too heavily. You can do it. Balance and breathe.
20. Everyone is just as confused as you are.
Nobody knows what they're doing. (This is true no matter how old you are.)
Live and learn, y'all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
