Time flies by. It's cliché but nonetheless true. Having survived teenage pregnancy and multiple finals weeks, I think I have enough experience to share some advice to incoming first years. Writing this as a second year, I have the advantage of being close enough to the experience of being a first year so my memory of it is clear, rich, and relatively accurate. However, I also have the benefit of being far enough from my first year experience to where I'm not biased about how bad/good it was based of the recency of that experience. Plus, as second year is winding down I have something to compare first year with. It's the perfect sweet spot.

Let's start with what I miss about first year and the things that you ought not take for granted.

Dorms. The friendships, the location, the closeness of it all. The camaraderie of it all. Going out in massive groups with the people from your hall and the hall above to Rugby Road and 14th Street. Never really eating alone because hey, you can just message the group chat. Late-night croads and castle. Meeting new people is especially easy as a first year.

Having an excuse. Being a first year is a justification for any mistake. Miss an exam, an assignment, a meeting? It's okay, you're just a first year. You don't know what you want to major in, undecided about the future? It's okay you're just a first year.

Let's be honest: all the clubs, greek life, and other organizations on grounds are itching for you. Literally, everyone is trying to get you to join their respective organization. They will bribe you, they'll befriend you, they'll act like they care (I guess sometimes it genuine)--whatever it takes for you to join. They'll accept you with open arms.

Do you remember that incredible experience of just exploring. Once it just clicked in my head where all the buildings fit in the "map" of UVA, I was sad because I realized I lost that feeling of wonder. There was nothing left to figure out, to explore. For me, block party was a shock, frat parties were a shock, the first time going to trin was a shock, my first basketball game, my first college football game. And now, it's just whatever. Savor those moments. That weird experience of using your fake for the first time. streaking the lawn, lighting of the lawn, for the first time.

Lastly, unlimited meal swipes. 'Nuff said

Even though I miss all of that, it's okay. For the most part, things get better.

The friendships you make first year, they consolidate and grow, to the point where you'll, for the first time in your life, have "true" best friends. Not like friends in high school who you hung out with just because you got along with them and they were in your classes, friends who are friends by virtue of proximity and history. College best friends are friends that you, to a large degree, chose to be friends with because of interests that you share and qualities that you value; friends that you make an effort to hang out with despite not having any classes with them. Friends that you choose to live with, go out with, and hang out with.

You're comfortable with college life. Hopefully in your own skin as well. In the early days and weeks of first year, a lot of people feel uncomfortable and perhaps a little anxiety about college. They might be having second thoughts, they might miss high school, they might regret even going to that specific college. For many, it's a foreign landscape and many people simply shut themselves in or on the other side of the extreme, becoming extremely risk-oriented putting themselves out there at every opportunity. You're more confident, the university is your home.

Allowing non-school related things dominate your life. The best things in college are the things that you involve yourself with. You'll soon realize that in college, for many people academics aren't the most important things in their life. Of course, everyone cares but you'll see people putting more time or at least equivalent time into their Fraternity, Sorority, Club, or Organization. Here at UVA, people aren't defined by their major as much as they're defined by what groups they associate with. Examples of this are aplenty, I mean look at Guides and Jeff Soc and Hackcville and SD and StudCo and VSA/ISA/BSA and all of the other ethnic and cultural organizations here at UVA. The experiences you have here are the ones that you'll remember, the ones that you cherish, and that ones that'll probably impact you more than any class will.

In the end, my best advice is to embrace how uncomfortable everything is. Because eventually, you'll miss being uncomfortable--you'll get too comfortable, life will stabilize and you'll miss the thrill of novelty. Don't get stressed or worried, most of the time everything will work out. Just have your priorities in order, have fun, and risk a little more than you should.