I was antsy on my first day of college. Legitimately scared, honestly. It was my first big step on my own. I come from a small town and a small high school where everyone knows you, or, at least, they know your parents. Going from that to a university with 13,000 students was a big difference, to say the least. I wish something would have been able to ease the worries, so that is what this list is for. Incoming freshmen, listen up! There's a whole big world out there and its time to jump into it.
1. Get a campus map.
It isn't nerdy or weird like it is in high school. People won't make fun of you. People will actually come up to you and ask if you can tell them where to go. Its a great way to make friends, really. While you are at it, have a printed copy of your schedule for the first week of classes. Nothing is worse than finding out you are in the wrong classroom after the lecture has already started, trust me.
2. Go to class early.
Whether you live on campus or not, try to plan to get to your classroom about ten minutes early. This gives you enough time to find a parking spot if you're a commuter, and enough time to get a good seat if you are not. No one wants to get stuck by a pen clicker, gum smacker, or by a person that says "wait, what did the teacher say?" every five minutes.
3. Sit in the front.
I can not stress this one enough. Sitting in the front doesn't make you the teacher's pet or the nerdy person like it did in high school. It now makes you the educated college student that can actually hear what the teacher is saying instead of listening to the people in the back talk about how hungover they are.
4. There is no dress code.
With that being said, this doesn't mean dress like a hooch in the summer or an eskimo in the winter. All this means is that you need to be comfortable! You don't have to wear makeup every day girls (Seriously. It isn't a requirement), and its perfectly okay to wear sweats everyday if you want. If anything, the girl in the heels in chemistry lab is going to be jealous because her feet will be killing her after four hours.
5. Don't sign up for everything.
6. Go to the gym.
7. The library is cool.
8. It's good to ask questions.
Don't be too afraid to ask for clarification when the teacher asks if there are any questions. I can guarantee you few other people have the same question you do. Just take one for the team.
9. It's OK to live at home.
Everyone gets so caught up in the idea of college but few people realize the amount of money it takes to let those dreams set sail. It is totally okay to live at home! You don't have to live on campus. While everyone in the dorms are eating sucky cafeteria food, you'll be eating home cooked meals every night. That in itself is enough reason to live at home.
10. Call your parents.
If you aren't living at home, call your mom. Call your dad. Let them know you're alive. They love you. Appreciate them.
11. You don't have to have your life plan figured out yet.
No one really knows what they're doing. You don't have to declare a major. More importantly, if you do declare a major, it is okay to change it! People do it. Its okay. Don't waste four years and $30,000+ on a degree you don't even like. Just try not to waste too many credits or you'll be in class for six years instead of four. Nobody wants to be that guy.
12. You aren't who you were in high school.
Now is the time to branch out from whatever stereotype classification you were stuck in during high school. You're at a new place where very few, if any, people know you or your story. Its okay to start fresh and be who you want to be! Its time to start being an adult, so act like it. Get involved. Make new friends. Volunteer. Join clubs. Just don't get too crazy. Upon graduation you aren't your parent's problem anymore. You've got to get hired.
