So this is it. You are about to graduate high school, and go your separate ways from the people you have grown up your whole life with. In the midst of trying to make the most of your senior year, you are somehow trying to prepare yourself for college in the real world where people actually expect things from you (crazy, I know). You cannot wait to be free from your parent’s tight leash, but the thought of actually having to operate a washer on your own, and clean your own dishes is terrifying. Trust me, I have been there and could probably write a novel on “What Not To Do Your First Year of College". That is why I am here to give you some tips I learned the hard way, but will hopefully save you from making my same freshman year mistakes.
Expand your horizons.
College is all about finding yourself, your purpose and your passions. Unlike high school, no one in college really cares or will judge you for being yourself. Put yourself out there, hang out with different people, try new things (legal, that is), and go places you’ve never been before because these are the years to do it. It’s easy to do what you are used to out of fear, because our biggest dreams are often the scariest. But life really begins once you leave your comfort zone and once you can do this, the opportunities for your life are limitless.
Procrastination is your worst enemy.
In high school, you could get away with putting off a homework assignment until late the night before and if you were really risky, the class period before it was due, aka senior year in a nutshell. Unfortunately, this will not fly when you are in college. When you have three papers, a quiz and a midterm all due the next day, cramming simply is not humanly possible to do- I may or may not have attempted. So the sooner you develop good study habits and find what methods work best for you, the better off you are. Pulling all-nighters are fun and all, until you can barely function and feel like you’ve been hit by a semi- then you will be having plenty of #ragrets.
Budget your money
OK, if you know me, this probably sounds like the most hypocritical statement I’ve ever said. But really, I’ve never appreciated change more than when I went to college and had to pay for a crunch wrap from Taco Bell (aka Jesus) in all quarters. Desperate times call for desperate measures, OK? Not to mention, by all means, avoid parking tickets as much as you can, because I could probably pay for a small house with the money I paid for 16 of them (sorry, Mom). Anyway, the moral of the story is to use your money wisely, because I promise you’ll thank yourself in the long run, and on your next weekend adventure.
Coffee, coffee, COFFEE.
I want to thank not only God, but also Jesus for bringing such a beautiful beverage into the world. Coffee will be your best friend, so purchasing a personal Keurig for your dorm room will be your greatest investment yet.
Take care of yourself.
Unfortunately ladies, dry shampoo can only be used for so long until a shower is a must. It’s so easy to get caught up in socializing, doing homework, working out, and trying to fit in a couple hours of sleep to forget about your own basic necessities. Sooner or later things catch up to your body, and you will feel awful. So go to bed a little bit earlier at night, eat a healthy breakfast, get some exercise in, and seriously take a damn shower because you will feel 100 times better. Not only will you feel better, but doing things like these will also help avoid the freshman fifteen, which unfortunately is a very real thing. Sometimes it’s OK to be selfish and make time for you, because no one else will if you don’t.
P.S.: Don't be the person in class whose B.O. you can smell from a mile away - for the sake of yourself and classmates who get a whiff of you every time you pass by. *insert gagging noise*
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Moving to an entirely new environment, surrounded by all new people and professors can be extremely stressful to adapt to. This being said, give yourself a break and quit worrying about the small things. In reality, your teacher is not as nearly as scary as she looks, and no one really even notices what outfit your wearing that day. Most of your classmates will probably even look like they just rolled out of bed, so your appearance should be the least of your worries. College is a place where no one judges you and their biggest worry is making it to class that day. So do yourself a favor, take a deep breath, and relax because worrying about petty things will only stress you out.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
I think we can all agree that admitting to needing help isn’t easy. Everyone hates to feel vulnerable, but we have all been there. I can’t tell you how many times in college I have called my dad asking what the bright orange exclamation point meant on my car, what my bank routing number was, or how the hell I was supposed to fill out my tax form (God bless you, Dad). Your professors will also most likely want you to ask questions when you need help, so don’t hesitate to shoot them an e-mail. It’s OK to not have everything figured out on your own, because in reality, no college kid really does. We are all just as broke, confused and sleep deprived as you are, trying to make it to the weekend.
Keep your priorities in check.
The biggest struggle in college is trying to be responsible with your time when there is so much going on around you. Should you go to class or sleep in? To eat a salad and go work out or to eat a large pizza and binge watch Netflix? Should you go out or to stay in and study? These are questions I ask myself every day, but as hard as it is, I’ve realized making the responsible choice is what you have to do. Skipping class will only get you behind, pizza will again help you make your way to the freshman 15, and in reality that party you saw on Snapchat wasn’t even that fun. I’m not saying you should never treat yourself, but it is all about balance. Sacrificing certain things for more important priorities sucks, but your hard work will always pay off.
Über is a lifesaver…literally.
You’ve heard it ever since your middle school substance abuse classes, but honestly drinking and driving is not worth it. I have had too many people I know die so young from drunk driving accidents, who had a whole life they never got to see from one stupid mistake. That is why the Über app is, in my opinion, one of the greatest inventions created. It saves so many people from getting behind the wheel intoxicated and taking their own life or the lives of others. Über also has the option to split the cost between multiple people, making your fare very affordable and will even take you to get food through a drive-thru if you’re in desperate need, which from personal experience, is always a good decision. I don’t care whether someone’s drank two, three or six drinks, it’s never worth the risk to drink and drive. Call an Über next time you or a friend is drinking, get some McDonald’s and call it a night to save yourself some trouble as well as potential lives.
Stay true to yourself.
So you’re probably thinking how cliché this sounds and you’ve heard it thousands of times, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to stay true to yourself. Sure, with tons of new friends in college you want to make a good impression, but don’t be someone you're not, just to fit in. College is where you meet some of your friends for life, and if they are really your friends they will accept you exactly as you are. Life is so much easier when you stop caring what other people think, and simply live your life. Just be yourself, and don’t forget to remember where you came from.
Family is forever.
In high school, I was always worried what people thought of me and easily embarrassed by my parents. If there is anything I've learned in college, it's not to take family for granted. As annoying it may be, let your mom kiss you goodbye on moving day and let her call you five times in one hour after she has left, because I promise those are the things you will miss the most. Growing up, you realize just how much your parents sacrifice for you, and appreciate them so much more away at college. So stay in touch with your parents, because life is short and as the years go by they are getting older too.
There you have it, my advice to you on how to survive your freshman year that I wish I had been told when I was in your place. You are going to have the time of your life, so have fun (responsibly) while you can before you enter this so called “adulthood”.
