The first semester of college is famous for being one of the most difficult transitions of one's young adult life. You're thrown into a completely new area where the majority of the people surrounding you are strangers in an academic environment that's much more challenging then what you've grown accustomed to for the past twelve years. On top of that, you probably share a room with another person (or even multiple people) on the lumpiest "mattress" you've ever slept on.
With this change comes a lot of questions: what do I want to major in? What am I passionate about? Is what I'm passionate about something I'm actually good at? Why does the bathroom smell like cranberry juice and vodka? What is that thing at the bottom of the shower drain?
After doing a lot of my own self-investigation this first semester, I have found out many things both about myself and the world around me that may be helpful for both future college freshmen and perhaps fellow first years to find out.
Waking Up Early in College is So Much Harder
This one is for the future freshmen: taking a class at eight in the morning is not going to work out well. In high school, I woke up at six-thirty in the morning every day, and although it was difficult, I managed to (usually) do it successfully. In college, however, even waking up at eight-thirty was almost impossible. Thankfully, I manipulated my schedule and kept my earliest class at ten, but some of my colleagues were not so lucky. You may not think you're going to skip a class just because it's early, but you're wrong.
You Have to Get Used to Walking Everywhere
In high school, I was lucky enough to have my own car that I could drive around virtually whenever I wanted. This meant that, according to my Health app, I was usually walking less than a mile per day. Within my first week of college, I was traveling over six miles per day on foot. After a month, fashion no longer became a factor in my outfits, and I switched out my cute, extraordinarily uncomfortable flats for a pair of supportive sneakers.
Fuzzy Socks are the Cure to All Problems
Towards the end of the semester, the pressure of looming exams and term papers started to feel overbearing. I couldn't focus on my assignments, and studying all night would leave me anxious until morning. One day, my roommate's mother sent us a wonderful winter-themed care package in which she included a pair of fuzzy socks for each of us. The moment I covered my toes with those penguin-themed socks, I instantly felt a sense of relief. For some reason, without fail, fuzzy socks are a powerful being that can make anyone feel better.
Take Every Opportunity to Get Free Food
Although escaping your mother's inedible pasta salad may seem exciting during your first few weeks of college, you quickly realize that dining hall food isn't really that much better. Whenever I saw posters or online flyers advertising an event on campus with catering, I made sure to plan ahead and put it in my calendar. Especially as a college student, you probably don't have a lot of extra money to waste on a nice meal at a restaurant (if you even have the time to go to a restaurant), so finding a club that's willing to offer a meal is the perfect way to spice up your week and avoid eating the soggy vegetable medley that your school offers.
It's Okay to Gain the "Freshman Fifteen"
The one thing that seems to terrify incoming college students around the nation is the notorious "freshman fifteen." Everyone is constantly checking what they're eating, avoiding the dessert section of the dining hall, trying to find a gym buddy because they think they've "let themselves go" after two weeks. Of course, it's important to be conscious of your health, but the body is a changing entity that is supposed to grow. It doesn't mean you failed college just because you gained a few pounds. At the end of the day, I'd rather just take a brownie.
Invest in Vitamins and Supplements
During my first semester, I watched almost the entire population of freshmen slowly descend into a month-long journey of illness. It starts as a cold, which turns into a fever, which turns into three weeks of used tissues and coughing fits. In a new environment, it's inevitable that you're probably going to feel unwell for the first few days once, but that doesn't mean the entire semester should be defined by sickness. After seeing a student wash down Advil with cough syrup, I decided to buy a multivitamin to boost my own immune system in hopes that I could avoid one of the many viruses going around campus. Although I cannot prove that taking my vitamins are what saved me, I definitely think it contributed.
Making Time to Clean is Essential
With classes all day and homework all night, it's difficult to plan out time in your day to vacuum. After a month of avoiding the task, I realized I was living in a rat's breeding ground, not a dorm room. Once I forced myself to take out the rubber gloves and wipe down the mirror, my room not only looked (and smelled) better, but I personally felt better. Something about a tidy room can truly improve one's mood, which is why I made sure to make time at least once a week to do some general dusting. Even if you're just using it as an excuse to avoid homework, it's still beneficial.
Drinking Water is Actually Important
Everyone is always preaching about how important water is, how we should be drinking some obnoxious amount like six gallons every twenty minutes, but I never listened. Obviously, I drank water regularly before, but I really did not understand its importance until my first semester of college. Whether it was from the time spent walking or the change in weather, I constantly found myself dehydrated. In every class, I was too focused on how dry my mouth was to process a lecture. When I started to consciously refill my water bottle throughout the day, I started to feel a greater sense of well-being overall.
There are a ton of tips and tricks that people tell everyone who's about the enter their first year of college: it's okay to change your major multiple times, make sure to bring a first-aid kit, don't bring every piece of clothing you own. But, there are some little things that people never bother to say, because they don't realize how important things like Windex and water really are until they're in the moment. The first semester is a struggle for all of us, but if you invest in some cute winter socks now, you'll avoid the potential stress later.
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