Dear Incoming Freshman,
I was about twelve when I first realized how much my parents sacrificed so I could go to school. I remember overhearing my dad worry over our school tuition in the kitchen. I remember wanting so desperately to help him, to make a little difference. I gathered all four of my younger siblings into my bedroom and dumped a small, pink piggy bank on my comforter. "This is for dad," I told them and they agreed.
Between the five of us (the baby didn't contribute), we came up with seven dollars mostly made up of quarters, dimes, and crumpled dollar bills. I was the one who gathered it all up in my hands and tip-toed upstairs. Mom and dad whispered in the dining room. I tapped dad on the shoulder and counted each dollar bill and quarter up for him. "Seven dollars," I said. "Seven dollars so you can pay for us to go to school." I grinned. He grinned back and hugged me. "Thank you," he said. Then he told me, "Don't worry. I'll take care of you," and squeezed my hand.
I'm not twelve anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't look through my piggy bank every once in a while. I'm still that little girl wanting desperately to go to school and knowing only too well that it won't come cheap.
You are about to enter your freshman year at college and, most likely, it wasn't an easy or cheap decision. You’ve probably been told that college is a lot of things: a new start, a new chapter, an adventure, a chance to get a boyfriend, a chance to get a job. It is overwhelming and exciting and terrifying all at once. So, here I am, dear freshman, standing one year ahead of you and looking back to give a little advice and hopefully some encouragement.
1. College isn’t as big or important as it sounds.
College is made out to be the highlight of your life or even the experience that will decide your entire future. And even though college is pretty important when it comes to teaching you what you want to do with the rest of your life, it isn't the center of life and it shouldn't be. Don't worry if you don't have everything planned out. A badly kept secret you should know: hardly anyone has much of anything planned out and usually those plans change anyways.
2. Have the courage to speak to strangers.
You are going to enter college and immediately be surrounded by hundreds of thousands of kids who could either be intimidating or friendly or nervous themselves. It's your choice. You could either 1. stick to what you know and avoid all the other nervous kids; or 2. take a risk and talk to them. It's worth it. Trust me. And this is coming from an introvert.
3. Use your money wisely inside the classroom…
You and your parents worked hard to get you where you are. Moral of the story: use that money wisely and use the tools, resources and even the boring lectures to get as much out of this education as you can.
4. …And outside it.
And while you're at it, don't go waste all your money in your free time. Make a budget: have fun for sure, but be wise about it.
5. Trust God, people and your professors.
You may have heard this a hundred times but it never hurts to hear it again. In the next few months, you will probably get stressed or tired or hurt or confused or all the above. In those times, it is important to trust the people around you. Get to know your professors. They are all incredibly kind and willing to help. And make friends who will be there for you in those tough times.
6. Pray a lot.
And by trust God, I mean pray. Repeat prayers by famous authors: Thomas A Kempis, Augustine, C.S. Lewis, etc. Repeat Psalms. Memorize Our Fathers Prayer. Write them down. All of these are ways to train your mind to think through prayer and, as a result, keep the rest of your life in check.
7. Wake up early.
Mornings are more valuable than most people realize And if you can do it, wake up early. It will make you feel better, give you more time in your day, and give you an earlier chance to hit the coffee shops before class.
8. Don’t learn for the job.
The job is important, obviously, but don't make your whole education focused on what happens afterward. Enjoy learning in and of itself once in awhile. Learn to love what you are doing in the present not just what you will do in the future.
9. Make habits.
Habits will make or break your stress levels. Make a routine and stick to it and you will do so much better at school, life, and pretty much everything else.
10. It is a lot like ordinary life.
Last of all, no matter what people say, college really isn't that different from everyday life. You wake up, you eat, you go to class, and then you sleep. You may meet new people and go to new places, but that doesn't change the ordinary aspect of your day to day life. Don't worry.
Remember, it doesn't matter whether you are in a classroom or a business meeting, the White House or the Slums, your locker or your new dorm, no matter where we are, God's promises still hold true. Those are true. Those are actual.
All God calls us to is to be present and serve the person in front of us. Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with your God. You may not know what the next year holds, just like all of us before we read the next chapter, but you should know that it requires the same sacrifice, the same eagerness, and the same trust in the ordinary actions of an extraordinary God.
