Being a college freshman is one of the most exciting and scary times in a person's life. Here's a little note from an upper classman that's been there and survived.
Dear Freshmen,
Welcome to college! You get to do all these cool things now, like wear pajamas to class, move out of your parents' house, and make ~grown up~ decisions. School has been in session for a couple of weeks now, and you either think you have it all figured out or you're drowning in a pool of college despair. For those of you that think you know what you're doing - you are probably very wrong. For those of you who are contemplating how you'll survive an entire semester - don't worry, you'll be just fine.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as freshman is getting in the habit of skipping class and not worrying about a test until the night before. It doesn't matter that you don't have a test for three weeks, you need to make sure you always understand what's going on in class. You can't understand things if you aren't in class, and learning three weeks of material in one night is not possible (trust me, I've tried). So, please, go to class. Ask your professor questions about things that confuse you. Not only will it help you now, but once you are in the habit of showing up and keeping up, you'll continue to do well.
Another important thing to do freshman year is to have fun. Yes, studying and getting good grades is important. Making new friends, getting involved, and making good memories is also seriously important. You will regret all the nights spent in your dorm studying when you finally take a break but haven't made any friends to enjoy that break with you. There are SO many new people you can meet during your freshman year, it's impossible that you won't find new friends who share your interests. This is one of the easiest years in college to have fun before adulthood becomes closer and closer. Take time to put down the books, and have a little (a lot) of fun.
No matter how you think your year is going, or that you've gotten a grasp on this whole college thing, always be prepared for there to be bump in the road. You might fail a test you thought you did well on, you might suddenly get an extreme case of homesickness, your seemingly cool roommate might turn out to be secretly crazy, or a million other things that could happen. Freshman year is when all of the unexpected and random things can happen, wether they be good or bad. Just roll with the punches, things will always get better. If things seem to suddenly go from fantastic to cataclysmic, don't panic because it will go back to fantastic soon enough.
Just enjoy this year, do your best, and try to call your parents at least once a week (they miss you).
Sincerely,
An Upper Classman
