The first week of college is big. You don't know many people and are trying to make friends. You don't know where grocery stores are. You don't know which gas stations to go to. All of these essential life things that we have never had to figure out before.
The first week is when you realize how much you don't know. So, my first week of college was probably a lot like yours. Crazy, but these are the 8 things I learned:
1. Parking.
It's horrible. The end.
2. The professors genuinely want to help you.
They want me to succeed, but if I don't try, it is not going to work. They have office hours upon office hours. Several email options, tutoring hours, phone numbers. Talk to them! They like the students who try, and their letters of recommendation will be much better if they know you;)
3. The campus is flooded with events the first couple weeks.
It is up to me whether or not I make any friends. Ice cream social for the robotics club? Absolutely! Cook out with the acapella group? Why not!
Just go! I promise it will be more fun than sitting in your room.
4. THERE. IS. FREE. FOOD. EVERYWHERE.
Everyone wants you to join their group, and how do they persuade you? Pizza, pizza and more pizza. There is no excuse if you starve the first week.
5. The amount of clubs and organizations is truly overwhelming.
Get involved. Find something. If there truly isn't anything, create something! If you sit in your room and study every night, you will go crazy.
6. Homework.
Yes, you need to do it. But, you also need to stop doing it. Watch some tv. Go out with friends. Do something that isn't homework for a hour.
7. Skipping class.
Here is what I have learned: you CAN skip class. Should you? Ummm, NO. Granted, I did skip my theater class like four days ago, but he doesn't give exams, so it is not quite as big of a deal.
If your teacher does gives exams, which they all do except my very unique theater prof., you need to go to class. You can't learn it all if you are just reading the book. Also, teachers don't like the kid that is never there. I know because I skipped many psychology classes and my teacher HATED me. Go to class.
8. You will miss people you didn't think you would miss.
Including your parents. I remember seeing college students call their parents two to three times a day, and thinking "You are a college student; Why are you calling your parents so much?" Well, I have talked to my mom twice today and it's only 1:30 p.m.
College is awesome and eye-opening. It is a time to push comfort zones. It is not a time to sit in solitude overwhelmed with stress (You will still do this about 15 percent of the time). Go be a college student. Take on too many things. Be an over-achiever. Be an under-achiever. It doesn't matter. Just learn something and have fun.
