I finished my freshmen year of college and I have learned far more this year than I ever could have imagined. There is no guidebook for life, but there were times when I wished I had one. This is a letter for all incoming freshmen, the type of letter my 17-year-old self wished I had when leaving for college.
Dear Incoming Freshmen,
Everyone dreams of being older. It starts when you lay in bed imagining your first high school party; next it's your driver license, 18th birthday, first day of college, summer, and finally graduation. Everyone is wishing for the weekend, but no one takes time to appreciate the weekdays. It is Friday at 4:49 p.m., people are sitting in Econ101 counting down the minutes until it is 5 p.m. and their weekend starts. Don't be those people. Don't wish away life, and don't wish away those minutes. Appreciate the little things.
I get it. Leaving high school friends is hard. For all of us who are not lucky enough to be embarking on their college career with their best friends, don't worry. Leaving old friends is not all bad. During my eight months away from home, I met some of the most incredible people in the world. College presents you with the opportunity to become friends with a whole new group of people. These people will be your family. They will see you at your best and your worst. These are the people who sit in your room with you for hours talking about nothing, buy you candy when you think you just failed a calc exam, and convince the entire hallway to serenade you for your birthday. These are the people who make you want to be a better person.
College will test old friendships. Yes, some friends will fade but there will still be ones that text you at 3 a.m. saying, “I just ate an entire pizza." Trust me, these are the friends that matter, anyway.
As for academics, just breathe. Yes, school is hard. I'm not going to lie to you -- there will be nights when you are two carb-free Monsters deep into an essay and the world seems to be ending. The feeling of bombing your first anthrobiology test is hard, but the feeling of getting your first A is indescribable. Your grades do not define you, but they do get you into graduate school. Take everything with moderation and, remember, when all else fails: call home.
You will miss your parents. You have been with these two humans for the first 18 years of your life, and you will miss them. It is okay to call them, write them, text them, or even all three. It will mean more to them then you will ever know because, however much you miss them, I guarantee they miss you even more.
Have fun. Go out, make memories, and laugh at yourself the next day. These are the moments you will remember. This is the only time in your life that you will be here in this moment with these people. Capitalize on the nights with a light workload and unlimited nacho bar at Cantina; you wont regret it.
But whatever you do, don't waste this time. Before you know it you will be saying goodbye to your friends, packing away eight months of life into two small suitcases and heading home. Take advantage of all the opportunities that college presents you, get ready for game days, and forever Go Blue.
Love,
A nostalgic sophomore
