I didn't start living on campus until my sophomore year of college and in a way, I am so incredibly glad. I have made mistakes, grown as a person and learned my lesson once, twice and maybe even three times. Based on my personal experiences, here is what I have learned:
Don't be afraid to say NO.
If I have learned anything by living on campus it is that it is MORE THAN OK to turn down lunch with a friend or going to the lake on a pretty day just to get in a few hours of homework or studying at the library. I was guilty of not turning down people to hangout last semester. Do not feel guilty; do not feel the need to explain your decisions or priorities to anyone. I promise they might give you a hard time at first, but laugh it off and offer to catch up on a better date. Always remember the phrase: Just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean you have to. With that being said...
Have fun! Give yourself a break.
“F is for friends who do stuff together, U is for...” If you didn't get that SpongeBob reference, my heart is deeply saddened for you. Anyway, go out, meet new people and make new friends. I'm not saying you should go out and party all the time, but you never know..that girl that you meet at whichever themed party of the week, and who is just as sober as you are could actually turn out to be one of your best friends. Go outside for 30 minutes or so a day. Just because you’re at college doesn't mean you have to stay in your room all the time or study 24/7. Take a break, find balance, and enjoy yourself. Trust me; your brain will thank you for it later.Be kind to yourself.
Just because you don’t get a 90 on every test like the person sitting next to you, doesn't mean you have to beat yourself up over it. Beating yourself up for something that is out of your control isn’t going to make it better. Take a deep breath, study harder, talk to your professor, and hope for a better score on the next one!
Turn off your phone.
Social media is the best/worst thing to happen to our generation. It’s hard to keep ourselves present in all aspects of our lives with our phones constantly glued to our hands. Pay attention in class, be present in conversations with your friends, and stop to take a look around and enjoy the beauty around you. After all…you are paying to be there.
Be yourself. Love yourself.
College is a confusing time. If you think someone looks like they have it all together and everything is working out in their favor, you’re going to be wrong 99.9 percent of the time. Trust me, the girl who always looks perfect every day of the week could be struggling as much, if not more than you are. Always be you and never apologize for it. College is the time where you don’t have to impress anyone. Love who you are and find the beauty of being in your own skin and owning every second of it, no matter how homeless you may think you look during your 8 am.
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Cliché, I know, but it is so true. I was the type of girl who always heard the horror stories of Greek life and I had known people who changed so much after joining. I was also told repeatedly by people that if I did not join a sorority then I would most likely not have any friends, considering the college I go to is a very small campus. Well guess who is now dating a guy in a fraternity (and has been for several months) and who has made wonderful best friends who all happen to be in sororities…? If you’ve guessed me, then you would be 100% correct. I have made friends with girls who invited me over for spaghetti nights, friends who will act crazy and spontaneous with me in public, and friends who will pick me up for a late-night slushy at Sonic. Friends like that are the ones you want to keep around.
