As the chaoticness of finals week winds down and I head home for winter break, packing up my things and saying goodbye to my friends that have been by my side 24/7 for the past three months leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth, which is one of the better things I have tasted during my time at Stony over the course of the last few months. (Incoming freshman please beware of the mystery meat they put on a bun and call a burger!) My first semester can be characterized by a multitude of ‘ups and downs’, below are some of the things I learned throughout my first few months at Stony Brook University.

1. You are going to grow apart from your high school friends and that's okay.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I promised I would call and FaceTime my friends from high school, so many times! But unfortunately, as you become wrapped up in academic and social events at your university, it becomes harder to make time for them. Additionally, some of the friendships you had in high school may not necessarily benefit you now, it is okay to let them go.

2. Sleep deprivation becomes the norm.

Getting into bed and having the lights out before midnight is something that sounds nearly impossible. I know I am a master of procrastination and most times spend the night before completing a majority of my workload, but I think most college students can agree with me when I say 8 hours of sleep a night becomes a rarity. In addition waking up for that 8 am class the next morning becomes a harsh reality.

3. Thursdays are the new Fridays (sorry mom).

Throughout my first semester of college, the most valuable lesson I have learned is that Thursday’s are undoubtedly the new Friday’s. Due to the fact that Stony Brook is a commuter school many students go home on Friday, therefore it only makes sense for the turn up to commence on a Thursday. Some words of advice: try to avoid Friday classes when creating your schedule.

4. Boys are still immature.

Yes, ladies and gentleman, unfortunately, college boys are not much better than high school boys and they definitely are not any more mature. College boys are a whole new species. As my mom would say, “they are after one thing and one thing only”. Tips I would have for dealing with them? Don’t.

5. The laundry room is a dog-eat-dog world.

Simply stated, keep track of the time it will take for your laundry to be done, otherwise you will have the cute boy from down the hall rifling through your underwear. No matter how nice someone seems all bets are off once you are in the laundry room. If you are even a minute late to get your clothes out of the dryer, you can expect for them to be dumped onto the counter.