Well, the time has come. The day you’ve been waiting eighteen years for has finally arrived. Your typical comfortable life at home with your nagging (but super loving) parents, high school drama, and Friday night football games is over. You’re now in the fast lane heading towards the real world, and when I say the fast lane, I mean the turbo lane. College is a whole new world and there really is no way to fully prepare yourself for what truly lies “just around the river bend” as Pocahontas would put it. As a freshman, you are finally experiencing real freedom and you will either use it or abuse it. So, here are five guidelines that I learned my freshman year and will hopefully help you survive your freshman year in college too!
1. Not getting into a sorority isn’t the end of the world.
I know it probably doesn’t seem like it, but life goes on if rush doesn’t work out. I rushed in the fall of my freshman year and didn’t receive a bid on bid day. Yeah, I was devastated and definitely developed a severe case of FOMO, but I have made so many friends in all of the sororities that I always feel included in their sisterhood, minus the hefty dues they have to pay. Plus, being a girl, all the fraternity’s invite you to things whether you’re in a sorority or not and between you and me, it’s always an attention grabber to tell the cute “frat star” in front of you that you’re independent enough to not be in a sorority. Gets ‘em every time.
2. You don’t have to dress up for class everyday.
In high school, you couldn’t be caught without makeup…college is WAY different. I’m not saying dressing up is a bad thing, people definitely do it, I’m saying there’s no pressure to impress everyone on the way to your 8AM. (PS don’t take an 8AM your freshman year, you’ll need all the sleep you can get.) Most college students spend their nights, and typically early mornings, in the library or their rooms cramming and writing until the very last minute possible. This leaves absolutely no time to hide the bags under your eyes with concealer or exchange the sweatpants for jeans. Don’t fret, we’re all right there with you and will not judge you for wearing an XL T-shirt that makes people question if you are wearing pants or not.
3. Don’t date your freshman year.
This is more of a suggestion really. I dated my freshman year and don’t regret it at all but definitely missed out on some things. In high school, I never had a serious boyfriend, so when the opportunity appeared, I jumped on it. The relationship was fun, but it blinded me my first semester. I spent almost everyday with my boyfriend and began to let my grades slip and pass up on opportunities to hang out with my friends. Go out, flirt with all the boys, and have a good time dancing with your girls. Don’t stand in the corner sipping a drink while checking your phone every minute for a text from bae.
4. Go out on week nights.
This sounds so terrible at first glance I’m sure. But, I’m not provoking weekly alcohol consumption, I’m simply encouraging that you take a break from the library or from your weekly Netflix show. Explore your campus, drive around with your friends, try new dinner places, find something fun to do so you’re not missing out. Don’t stay cooped up in your dorm room, go out and make memories. Once your freshman year is over, you really only have one more semester to get all the crazy out before you have to buckle down and prepare yourself for the real world.
5. Smile.
Lastly, smile. Don’t let little things affect you. There are going to be bad days; there are going to be days where you don’t want to smile, or get out of bed, or go to class, but you have to. Seeing your smile could be just what somebody else needs. You are way more beautiful if you wipe the frown off of your face and not accept defeat I can promise you that.
If you follow these five dorky steps, you never know what could happen…you might just survive your freshman year and make some lifetime memories with some pretty cool people.
