Dear Freshmen,
You're scared right now. You've been dropped off in a new place that you're expected to live at for the next four years. It's okay to be scared, it's okay to be nervous; because you're human. In fact, you're currently experiencing something that thousands of other people are as well, at the same time as you; and that is quite a human experience. You are all scared, you are all nervous. It might be your first time away from home, your first time sharing a room, your first time fending for yourself, and that's okay. College is labelled as the best four years of your life for a reason. It's a time of growth, in many different aspects. You grow as a student, a social being, a self-sufficient adult, and as a person in general.
These next four years will be packed with experiences others don't get in an entire lifetime. Be thankful for that. For every moment you spend at college groaning over your homework or research paper, remember there are three more people just like you groaning at their minimum wage job that doesn't pay enough to afford college. Always remember to be humble. Don't take these moments for granted, life changes in an instant, and you never know what will happen each year.
Take this amazing opportunity you have been given, and squeeze every possible minute you can get out of it. Take a class that interests you, declare a major you're passionate about, join clubs you like, try a new hobby you've been curious about, ask out the cute person at the rugby game, go to a party you were invited to, stay up discussing the meaning of life with your roommates, meet your neighbors, and most importantly, study your ass off because even though C's get degrees, they don't get you scholarships, grants, work-study, or into Grad School.
Remember you're here for an education, that's the end result. You'll regret focussing on becoming the top of the beer pong leaderboard when you walk across the stage without hearing at least a 'cum laude' strung behind your name. The most important thing is, recognize your fears of change and then embrace them with open arms. In these next four years, things will inevitably change. Maybe it will be your friends, interests, roommates, major, values, or viewpoints. Regardless how it happens, ultimately you will change. Embrace it, because you'll love the person you emerge as.
Again, the most important thing is to stay humble. Time goes by so fast, especially in college. If you thought high school went by fast, just wait until the moment you're a senior typing this letter to the Class of 2024.
Sincerely,
A Senior
