Ah –– freshman year. It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. No matter where you came from, your first semester at college was definitely a learning experience. Young, naïve,and ready to make the most out of this experience, freshmen come to the jungle that is college, completely unprepared. Therefore, there are often things freshmen do that we (upperclassmen) wouldn’t dream of doing again. These are the nine things first semester freshmen do (that they eventually grow out of).
1. Buying a bunch of school supplies – and never using them
In high school, every year before school, your parents took you shopping for supplies. Making that glorious (and often overpriced) trip to Staples was a must. As a college freshman, nothing has changed. You still bought every pen, folder and binder they had at Walmart. However, you will soon learn that in college you can do well with just the bare necessities. Most notes are taken on a laptop anyway!
2. Hanging out with the people you met at orientation
The main reason you’re so pumped for college is because of how great orientation was. You made a bunch of friends there, and you’re eager to reconnect with them as soon as you get back to school. Although that's great (and sometimes those become your college besties), you will most likely meet other people and cease to hangout with those few buds you made in the summer.
3. Dressing up for class
First day of class! So what, you have an 8:30? You’re setting your alarm for two hours ahead, and you’re going to get glamorous for class. Whether it’s girls doing their hair and makeup or guys gelling their hair, this only happens for the first few days. Eventually you will become so tired of your 8:30's, your alarm will be set for 30 minutes before. And your go-to outfit will be a pair of sweats.
4. Eating at the dining hall 24/7
Leaving the warmth of your family and the home-cooked meals, you’re excited to have a whole array of new foods to try. Open many hours of the day and filled with a bunch of food and all your friends, the dining hall is the spot to hangout. Of course, by your second semester, you will be so sick of dining hall food, Jimmy John's will know your order by heart.
5. Shopping at the bookstore
You’re just starting out, and you’re so excited about going to this amazing school so what do you do? You make sure to buy head to toe school gear. Whether it’s a sweater, sweatpants or a baseball cap, just buying something new for yourself is exciting. Soon, however, you will learn that it’s all overpriced, and no one really wears school gear anyway.
6. Getting written up
You know the rules, and you’ve met your RA, but you’re young and naïve so you underestimate their power. Rookie mistake! Whether it’s walking around with a red cup or blasting music too loud, freshmen get written up for the silliest things. Once you’ve had a little more experience you’ll know how to make sure your RA doesn’t catch you doing anything against the rules.
7. Getting excited about a Facebook frat party invite
It’s the first weekend at college and your Facebook notifications are blowing up with party invites. You’re so pumped, and as you click "Going" to all of them, you can barely contain yourself. After a while though, those Facebook invites will become less exciting and more annoying.
8. Thinking you're too good for the bus
Going downtown or getting to a frat party requires transportation. You can pay $4 and take a cab straight there or you can get on the campus bus, which brings you relatively close to your destination. Lucky for you, you have yet to run through all your money so you still believe you’re too good for the bus. This will soon change, as you realize taking the bus downtown means saving money!
9. Exchanging numbers with everyone you meet
You’re out at a party, and you’re meeting so many people. The excitement is pumping through your body at an alarming rate; you just want to be friends and know everyone. Because of this, everyone you meet becomes a new contact in your phone. By next semester, when you’re hanging out with your established college friends, you’ll just be wondering who all these names are.
College, just like everything else, is a place where the ropes must be learned. Hopefully there are people there to guide you past these freshman quirks. But if not, you’re sure to figure it out on your own eventually. However, you will always love to look back at all the things you did when you were a first semester freshman. It'll sure be a good laugh!
