When you become a college freshman, you have the opportunity to explore all that you want. Whether it's going to a new church, exploring Greek Life, meeting people at a party, going to a sporting event, etc., there's plenty to experience especially in your first year of college.
Obviously, you're not going to have the time to do everything, so there are some things that you wish you did as a freshman. Here are 13 of them.
1. Work out regularly
This one isn't your fault, since being a freshman in college requires a lot of adjustment and that adjustment is important to doing well as a college student. Because of that, classes and other things took a tool and naturally you were more tired than you would have liked to be.
2. Declared a major
Of course not everybody truly wishes they had declared their major as a freshman, but there are many people who have a feeling of what they want to do with their life as a freshman in college, and there are those who wish they'd figured that out already, although they know it's okay that they haven't figured it out yet.
3. Attended a sporting event
Attending sporting events is part of the college experience, especially if you're at a university that is world-class in athletics. These athletes are students just like you do, so it's fun to see them do what they do outside of being students.
4. Stay in more/go out more
College is about learning experiences, and every time you go out, you'll learn something. Obviously, it's not possible to go out more and stay in more at the same time, but again, you learn about what you might miss out on if you don't go out at all. It's about the learning experience and the possible friendships that you'd form from going out.
5. Spent more/less money
There are a variety of reasons a college freshman spends money, whether it's for books, extracurricular organizations, or food, but they will learn about what is or isn't a priority for spending purposes.
6. Make money
The phrase "broke college student" exists for a reason. A lot of students don't complete college simply because they don't have the funds to pay for college. For a college freshman, he or she wants to be as stable as possible, and that requires having some kind of financial resource available outside of parents/family/scholarships/loans to cover the cost, plus the loans have to be paid back (if used).
7. Had straight A's
College is far from easy, so anytime you get straight A's, you ought to be proud. There are some college freshmen who come into college with high expectations of themselves, so they're disappointed since they didn't meet their own goals. They'll be motivated to get that straight A's semester that they tried to get as freshmen.
8. Challenge yourself
There are the natural challenges of being a college freshman, such as getting used to your new school, knowing the layout of campus, and finding where your classes are, but not everybody puts themselves out there enough to try new things, such as sitting in on student government meetings, trying out for a production, or going to that academic fair.
9. Go to your professor's office hours or talk to your professors after class
A lot of college freshmen are a bit shyer when it comes to asking questions to their professors, and as a result, they'll be more reluctant to ask questions pertaining to the course or to connect on a personal level.
10. Get a LinkedIn Profile/LinkedIn Profile Photo
Most college freshmen aren't thinking about LinkedIn yet because it's a misnomer that freshmen don't get hired for internships. It isn't true for a reason. Employers want people with a willing-to attitude, a yes-before-no attitude, and a desire to learn. Don't be afraid to get that LinkedIn and put your best foot forward.
11. Learn about heartbreak
Naturally you're not just thinking about relationships, but when you're a college freshman, you'll run into guys or girls whom really tickle your fancy, so don't be afraid to shoot your shot.
12. Apply to the Honors College
Of course, this doesn't apply to everyone, but some college freshmen are more than qualified to join it. Try to optimize every opportunity you get.
13. Stay in town during the summer
There's a reason you chose to go to your university.
Not all of these 13 things will apply to every college freshman, but many of them will. This is not designed to tell you how you should have done things as a freshman, but when you're in college, you're in it for getting the degree and also to maximize your opportunities. The only person who can stop you from doing that is you. The motivation is for you to do better as a sophomore.
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