Live in the moment | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

5 Things Freshman Year Teaches Us

Going to college so far from home was both my greatest gift and hardest lesson.

44
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Purdue_University%2C_West_Lafayette%2C_Indiana%2C_Estados_Unidos%2C_2012-10-15%2C_DD_23.jpg
Wikimedia

In This Article:

Freshman year not only taught me about organic chemistry, applied calculus, and the fundamentals of biology but also taught me more about myself than I ever thought possible. I am forever grateful for the lessons this school year taught me and I look forward to the remaining lessons the rest of my college career holds.

It's ok to go  out of your comfort zone

College introduces us to hundreds, maybe even thousands of new people and new ideas. Welcome all the new around you and immerse yourself in environments you wouldn't typically find yourself in. When we surround ourselves with foreign concepts we allow ourselves to learn more about the community surrounding us and ourselves which will ultimately make us better leaders for the future.

It's ok to be lost 

Many freshman experience a rude awakening during their first year of college, often stemming from questioning if they're good enough to be at their school or questioning if they made the right choice of major. These questions and any other form of self-doubt is normal, no one is 100% set on their path and sometimes we realize we're better off doing something completely different from our major. Exploring different possibilities is the best way to ensure that we will truly happy in the future and not settle for less because we're afraid of the consequences.

Self-Care is of the utmost importance 

College students are often so intensely focused on their academics and extracurriculars that they forget to indulge in themselves. When we forget to take care of ourselves, it seeps into our academic performance- we see our appearance slip and then we see our grades slip. Treating ourselves to some love reminds us that we are just as important as getting an A in our classes and helps us take a break from the not so fun part of college. It doesn't even have to be big, self-care can be something as small as a face mask or a 5-minute meditation. Just do something where you indulge in YOU.

We are better than our failures 

College proves to be a challenge in numerous forms, especially in the academic sense and unfortunately, many students struggle with accepting the fact that their failures do NOT define them. While failures aren't necessarily good, they in no sense of the word make us who we are. Failure is natural and the only thing we can do is respond to the failure and do better when given the next opportunity. Just remember that Neil Armstrong failed a calculus class at Purdue and still managed to be the First Man on the Moon...so anything is possible!

Live in the moment 

These are the years we'll look back on fondly and truly define who we'll be in the future. Don't spend every waking second of your day huddled over your desk in your room or under your blankets binging Netflix, get out and explore! See what your campus has to offer, introduce yourself to strangers, do that crazy thing with your friends... make memories! College is meant to be fun, so have it!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

12546
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

2093
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

1303
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments