I have officially hit my one month anniversary as a college student, and looking back I’ve changed so much just in this month. College is the place to grow as a person and a student, and I've done a lot of both recently. I thought I would share a handful of the valuable lessons I've learned so far.
1. It’s okay to not know what you want to do with your life, but you shouldn’t feel bad if you do know what you want to do.
20-50% of incoming freshmen go in as undecided majors, and 75% of students change their major at least once during their college years. So, if you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing with your life, that’s completely okay. In fact, it’s more than okay; it’s normal and expected. At the age of 18, you don’t have to sign in blood the career you plan to have for the for the rest of your life. Take the time to investigate different majors and concentrations, take classes that peak your interest, and consider all your options. You can do this.
On the other hand, if you’ve known exactly what you’ve wanted to do ever since you were nine, and have your entire college education mapped out to the exact classes, that’s wonderful. You shouldn’t feel bad for having direction in life. Your passion is something that drives you, and some people take longer to find it than others. Use the next four years to fuel that fire within you even more.
2. Some of the best nights aren’t spent out on the town, they’re spent in the dorm room, in pajamas, with your best friends.
You don’t have to go out to parties, or expensive restaurants to make memories with your besties. With the right group of friends, anywhere and anything can be made to be fun and a bonding experience. With them, a trip to the Dollar Store is an adventure. Some of my favorite memories so far are quietly giggling around a study table at the library, or late nights in my dorm room playing Cards Against Humanity. When I graduate, it will be these late night conversations and bullshitting sessions I remember, not the exchanges, formals, or social events.
3. Free food or free shirts are the surest sign of a good time.
Anything free is the key to a college student’s heart, and time. Because you’ll more than likely be spending the next four years on a limited budget, take advantage of any free clothing or food your college provides. Lots of organizations will give out free shirts or munchies for attending an event. Either way, it’s something I’ve never turned down so far.
4. You're not as smart as you think you are.
It doesn’t matter if you were the Valedictorian at your high school, or how involved you were. There are 21,000 public high schools in the United States. That means there are 21,000 valedictorians and 21,000 class presidents. So go into the next four years knowing you have a lot to learn: academically, socially, and emotionally. Be open to other people’s opinions and ideas. Don’t be so stubborn in your ways that you are blinded to all college has to offer.
5. Save. Save! SAVE!
I will admit, I have fallen victim to the idea that all my income is expendable in college. Hey, my room is paid for and so is my meal plan, so any money I have is used to treat myself, right? Wrong. You would be surprised the “emergencies” that can come up quickly. Maybe your car needs its oil changed, or you have to pick up a prescription from your doctor, or your phone screen shatters. That’s not the kind of thing you can plan for, but it’s also something you should expect. Instead of emptying your bank account on the new iPhone 7, or treating yourself to the new Urban Decay pallet, stash money away for those unexpected emergencies. You’ll be thankful you did.
6. The Freshman Fifteen is a real thing.
It is. But it’s also completely avoidable. Your lifestyle is changing when you go to college, and so should your eating and exercise habits. In college, I’ve tried going “meatless” one day a week and putting cucumbers and lemons in my water for extra vitamins and minerals. Take the stairs instead of the elevator as a way to get in some (brief) exercise in your busy day.
7. You have to step out of your comfort zone to make friends.
The unfortunate reality is no one makes friends by sitting in their dorm room by themselves watching Netflix. You need to step outside, literally and figuratively, in order to make relationships with people on campus. The first week, I left my door open whenever I was chilling in my room. Girls would walk in, say hello, and introduce themselves and that’s how I’ve made some of my closest friends. Try new clubs, start a conversation with someone, and be yourself. I promise there is someone on your campus with similar interests with you. You just have to go out and find them!
