This time last year I was getting ready to move into my dorm room for the first time. I was beyond scared, but I was super excited, too. There is so much that I would tell myself a year ago if given the chance, so I’m going to pass that information on to everyone in that position instead. I know I would have benefited so much if I’d known even just a few things.
1. You will make friends.
The thought of going through college without making any friends was genuinely the most terrifying thing that I could imagine happening to me. Unfortunately, it was a fear that was all too real to me because of the fact that I didn’t have many close friends up until I moved out of my hometown. However, I now have the best group of friends that I have ever had, and I’m so relieved that I found them because it means I can spend the next few years living on the same campus with them.
2. Nothing is more important than your mental health.
While this is a lesson that I’m still learning, it’s an important one. I spent way too much time stressing about things that, in the long run, were not worth the anguish, and it made my first year of college less enjoyable than it could have been. That isn’t to say that it ruined my year, but I can’t even imagine how much better things would have been than they already were if I hadn’t let things get to me so much.
3. You can handle college classes.
This is something that I stressed about a little bit before moving in and actually starting my classes. I was terrified that I wasn’t actually as capable as I was, and I let that fear get to me a little too much. It’s normal to be afraid of new challenges, but I’m extremely glad that I didn’t let my fears cause me to fail.
4. You will be homesick.
I was sure that this would not be something I would deal with, as I spent the first 18 years of my life waiting for the day that I could escape my hometown. I always felt stifled living at home in a tiny little town, but I would be lying if I said that I never got homesick… Although I was definitely more homesick for my family and my bedroom at home than I was for home itself.
5. You will skip a class... or five.
This is truer for some students than others, but everyone does it at some point. I was sure that I would never skip a class just to skip, but I learned very quickly that I was naïve to believe that. Whether it was to sleep, to work on homework for another class, or to drive a few hours for a concert, I’ll be the first to admit that I skipped classes… and I’m okay with that, even if I wouldn’t have been a year ago.
6. It is possible to pass classes without doing the reading... but it's way harder.
The one thing I heard from almost every college student / professor was that it was impossible to pass classes without doing the assigned reading. I would disagree that it’s impossible to pass, but I will agree that your life will be infinitely easier if you just do the reading than if you try to B.S. your way through it. Work smarter not harder, right?
7. It's not a guarantee that you and your roommate will be BFFs.
While I personally had a really good experience when it came to my roommate, I know plenty of people who didn’t. Some people just didn’t really click with their roommates, while others went so far as to clarify that they were “roommates, not friends.” If you don’t get along with your roommate, it’s not the end of the world; if it’s absolutely impossible to live with your roommate for a whole year, it is possible to switch. Don’t feel bad if it comes to that, especially if living with someone will cause serious problems (see #2).
8. Changing majors is O.K.
Even if you go into your freshman year 100 percent certain that your major is right for you, it’s not a bad thing if you realize that it isn’t a perfect fit. I changed majors twice within my freshman year alone, and I let myself get way too stressed out about it the first time. While there were some extenuating circumstances when it came to the program I was in, I took it a step too far. I spent so much time trying to figure out what would make me happy that it was doing the exact opposite… so much so that, when I finally made the decision, it felt like a giant weight had been lifted off of me.
9. Be yourself.
As cliché as this advice is, it’s genuinely good to hear. College is about finding yourself, and the only way to do that is if you’re honest with yourself about who you are. If you discover something you didn’t previously know about yourself, it’s a good thing. You will learn things you never would’ve guessed about yourself even within your first year of college. No matter who you are, there will be someone at your school who will love you for being that person.
I learned so much about my school, myself, and life in general within my first year of college that I couldn’t begin to write it all down, but this list is a good place to start. Don’t be surprised when you learn more than you could ever imagine; what will be, will be, and you can handle anything this upcoming year throws at you.
