"Believe it or not, lots of people change their majors and abandon their dreams just to avoid a couple of math classes in college." - Danica McKellar
Take whatever you have in your mind of what your freshman year is going to be like and throw it out the window. Forget what you think college classes, dorm rooms, parties, friends, etc. are going to be like. Try and erase from your mind seeing "Animal House," "Neighbors," "22 Jump Street," and "Sydney White." Most importantly, stop obsessing over whether you're going to have the right clothes, shoes, friends, and stories to impress the other thousands of other freshmen in your same shoes. College is going to be unlike anything you've ever imagined, yet be everything you could have wanted.
The friends you make are going to last a lifetime. As cliché as it sounds, they are going to be there for you at 2 a.m. or 2 p.m. You might meet them in the laundry room, or they might live next to you. You're probably going to wonder how you ever lived without them in your life. The best part about college is that you get to grow up and become the person you want to be, and you get to choose to surround yourself with people that are going to help you become that person.
It's okay to eat alone in the dining hall. Some people are so afraid to be alone for fear of being viewed as a "loner," but the reality is that most kids all do it. The dining hall can also be a great way to meet new people. Don't be afraid to sit next to someone who you don't know (you never know who could end up becoming your best friend).
You are going to miss your family. It's okay, in fact, it's normal. Your family has been there for you for the past 18 years and helped you become the person you are today. Don't forget to tell them you love them, and how much you appreciate them (especially your mom). FaceTime will be your best friend. Make sure you give your family big goodbye hugs, because as stupid as you may think it looks, it means the world to them.
First semester sucks for most people. Even though it looks like everyone is having the time of their lives on social media, in reality they're probably struggling just as much as you may be. It's okay to feel like you don't fit in that well. Most people go through the exact same thing. It takes some time to try and find your genuine friends. My biggest piece of advice is to give it at least one semester, if not a full year before you consider transferring. You never know when that moment is going to happen where everything feels like its falling into place.
Professors make the class. Don't choose a class based on the curriculum, choose it based on the professor. Talk to some people who have taken the class before you and see what they say. If the professor is passionate, he or she could be talking about the most boring subject interesting.
