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23 Pieces Of Advice For UVA '23

Enjoy your first year; it's going to be amazing!

Casey_Clarke

May 07, 2019

University of Virginia

236

Emma Kim

Last August, I was on an emotional rollercoaster. I had just started college and was full of nerves, excitement, and some homesickness. UVA just became my home for the next four years of my life.

Here, I was going to figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It was such an incredible time getting to meet new people and make new friends. Throughout all of those emotions, I made some mistakes, reflected a lot, and discovered a lot of things about myself and college, although I wished that I had had some of these revelations before college.

Here are 23 things that I have learned throughout my first year at UVA and want to pass onto the class of 2023.

1. If you have a particular career/major in mind, be sure to plan some classes around it

While it is still great to explore new interests, some career paths require a lot of classes to complete, so it helps to get some out of the way your first-year.

2. Try new things

If a club or something relatively interests you, try it. You may discover a new passion.

3. Don’t be afraid of rejection

4. Every first-year is also trying to navigate college life and make friends, so don’t be hesitant to reach out to new people

5. Just because a lot of people you know are getting into relationships, doesn’t mean that you have to as well

6. Be patient

Everyone adjusts differently. If it takes you a little longer to make friends or find your niche, or if all of your friends aren't adjusting well but you are, it is okay.

7. Participate in your classes

8. Don’t spend all of your plus-dollars on Starbucks

9. Get enough sleep

10. Make sure to put the effort into your friendships

11. Go to office hours and form a bond with your professors

12. Take advantage of all of the resources that UVA has to offer

13. If you want to go to the good basketball games, you have to get sabre points from events other than just the football games

14. Take advantage of meal-exchanges

15. Even though it may not work all of the time, download the bus app (this is especially for people in new dorms and suites)

16. Make sure to put effort into keeping up with your high school friends

17. You don’t need to party every weekend to fit in

18. Invest in good walking shoes

19. Study on the Lawn if you want to see a lot of dogs

20. Spend at least a little time every week caring for yourself

21. Always try to be kind to those around you

22. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do as well as you did in high school

Everyone here (including yourself) is very smart and talented in their own way.

23. Find a reason to smile every day

Enjoy your time here; these are some of the greatest years of your life and they are going to fly by.

Congratulations on getting into an amazing university! You are going to love it here!

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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23 Pieces Of Advice For UVA '23

Enjoy your first year; it's going to be amazing!

1. If you have a particular career/major in mind, be sure to plan some classes around it

2. Try new things

3. Don’t be afraid of rejection

4. Every first-year is also trying to navigate college life and make friends, so don’t be hesitant to reach out to new people

5. Just because a lot of people you know are getting into relationships, doesn’t mean that you have to as well

6. Be patient

7. Participate in your classes

8. Don’t spend all of your plus-dollars on Starbucks

9. Get enough sleep

10. Make sure to put the effort into your friendships

11. Go to office hours and form a bond with your professors

12. Take advantage of all of the resources that UVA has to offer

13. If you want to go to the good basketball games, you have to get sabre points from events other than just the football games

14. Take advantage of meal-exchanges

15. Even though it may not work all of the time, download the bus app (this is especially for people in new dorms and suites)

16. Make sure to put effort into keeping up with your high school friends

17. You don’t need to party every weekend to fit in

18. Invest in good walking shoes

19. Study on the Lawn if you want to see a lot of dogs

20. Spend at least a little time every week caring for yourself

21. Always try to be kind to those around you

22. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do as well as you did in high school

23. Find a reason to smile every day

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The Best Lines from the Fab Four

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all I got to give if you say you'll love me too. I may not have a lot to give but what I got I'll give to you. I don't care too much for money. Money can't buy me love

All you need is love, love is all you need

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

Obviously the best superpower.

There have been many lessons learned.

1. The importance of traditions.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

3. How to give back.

4. What the word "community" really means.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

10. How to work for what I want.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

12. How to be humble.

13. To be well-rounded.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

16. To be prepared for anything.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

18. How to be creative.

19. To brush off gossip.

I have never been so thankful to know you.

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Don't freak out

Email the professor

Attend the first class

Keep attending class

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