The first few weeks of college I was in awe of all the new independence I had gained. I was living in a different state from my parents, I was doing my own grocery shopping and I could get pie at 2:00 am if I wanted to (and if my roommate was willing to drive, there are still limits to my independence).
1. Your floor will become your family.
When you live with someone for such a long period of time in such close proximity, you are bound to grow close. These people will see you at your best and at your worst. They will be your support system and a shoulder to cry on, and they will definitely be your biggest cheerleaders.
2. Don't get involved right away.
3. Your high school studying habits are probably not as great as you thought they were.
I was very prepared to take on college because I thought I had a solid study habit only to realize I will need to study about three times as much as I did in high school. AP classes do not prepare you for this amount of work; I don't think anything does.
4. Managing your time effectively is one of the hardest things you will do.
In high school, everyone went to school for the same seven hours, so it was a whole lot easier to plan things with friends; most of them had similar schedules. In college, everyone has a different schedule; when I'm in class, my friends could be studying, and when I start studying, they might be done with school work and want to hang out. Your social life is a very important thing in college but not the most important thing. So don't forget to leave time in your day for the most important things.
5. It's okay to sit next to someone you don't know in the cafeteria.
My biggest fear coming into college and eating all my meals in the cafeteria was sitting alone. If you don't like sitting alone, it's absolutely okay to ask someone if you could sit with them; not only will you have someone to sit with, but also maybe a new friend.
