Now that I've had some time to think after the end of the semester, I'm able to put into words all of the things that I reflected upon and learned this year. I won't lie, my freshman year of college started out a bit rough, as I had a difficult time with the transition into school and with being away from home, but with the help of my family and friends I was able to grow and explore who I am, who I want to be, and what I want to do. With that, I've compiled a list of the things I learned during my first year of college.
1. It's Okay To Change Your Major
I came in as a music education major, and four weeks into the first semester I knew that that wasn't the career path I wanted to stay on. I spent a lot of time in the school chapel crying and trying to figure out what I wanted to do and I realized that ultimately I wanted to work in the church, hopefully with the youth group. College is the time to explore your options and I was quickly able to explore mine and realize what I really wanted to do.
2. You Can Call Your Mom Whenever You Need To
Or your dad, or your siblings, or your family, or your friends. Trust me, I called my mom a LOT the first few weeks and I FaceTimed home frequently to talk to my parents. You may be away from home, but that doesn't mean you have to feel all alone. Your friends and family still care about you and still want you to know that they're there for you when things get rough. Sometimes, all you really need to help you feel better is to call your mom and cry.
3. Your Friend Group From First Semester Freshman Year Will Change
You will meet a group of friends during the first few weeks of school, whether it's a group from your hallway in your dorm, or a group within your major, or even an extracurricular group. Odds are, you won't stay a friend group, and that's okay. Maybe you just don't all get along as a group anymore, or you want to explore different interests, or your schedules are impossible to line up so you just drift apart. It's okay, it happens. You'll make new friends, and you'll hang onto the ones that really matter.
4. It's Easy To Take Food From The Cafeteria
You've already paid for all of the food in the cafeteria, and it's very, very easy to bring Tupperware into the cafeteria in your backpack and pack up some doughnuts for breakfast the next day or grab some dessert for later. The best days are when they have three different kinds of Mac N' Cheese, and your Tupperware containers allow you to save some of the gooey carbs for later. And, don't forget about all of the apples you can stuff into your backpack!
5. Your Professors Actually Care About You
Your professors will not ask you what's wrong, and they will not baby you through their classes, but if you're struggling with somethings then go talk to them because they want you to succeed. I took the dreaded Ear Training 1 course at my university first semester and when I realized that the work I was doing wasn't enough, I went to my professor and cried for a good twenty minutes and then we discussed techniques to help me better succeed in his class. I had a professor tell me that if I would like to come talk to him about issues I'm having in class then he is happy to help, but he won't chase me down if I don't do well on an assignment. I promise you that your professors care, but you have to show them that you care too.
6. A Hot Chocolate And Chocolate Chip Muffin Can Cure Even The Worst Days
Some days are really gross. Some days you have two tests, a paper to write, and a presentation to give. Some days you're in a fight with your best friend. Some days you feel like the world and everyone in it is against you. The best cure for those days is a hot chocolate and a chocolate chip muffin. There's something about the combination that helps calm you down and lets you forget about the stressful things in your life. But, that's just a personal preference and if you don't like chocolate then I'm not sure how to help you.
7. No One Cares What You Do
Listen up, I promise you that on a college campus, as long as you're respectful, no one really cares what you do. I've had friends who have walked down the hall with what they describe as "America's worst bedhead" wearing pajamas without a bra on, and nobody really cares. There are students who will ride a Razor scooter to class and everything will proclaim them as a genius because of how resourceful they are. This is the time for you to be your truest self, and as long as you're a decent human being, no one's going to judge you for doing that.
8. Your Friends Will Be There For You No Matter What
Your friends will be your main support system at school. Of course, you'll be able to call your parents and friends from home, but your friends at school see you all the time and can tell when something's on your mind (even if you won't fess up). You could be fighting, and your best friends will still be there when other things go awry, because that's what friends do. I promise that you will make forever friends who will be there to support you and help you through anything you're dealing with.
9. This Is The Time To Try New Things
College is all about learning about yourself and trying new things. Maybe you want to join a club, or try out for women's chorale, or become involved in radio. There are so many opportunities for you to get involved on campus, and if you don't like something then you don't have to keep doing it. If you don't like a club or you can't make time for it because you want to do something else you're interested in, no one will be offended. I did a lot of things my first year of college, like joining Lutheran Student Movement and earning a position on the Executive Board, and I joined Zeta Tau Alpha, among other things. I don't regret becoming a part of either organization at all, because I've had experiences with both that have taught me about myself and that have helped me grow, and you will too with whatever you decided to try. So enjoy your first year, enjoy trying new things and embrace all that your school has to offer, because it'll be over before you know it.
