Freshman year of college was definitely a time of growth and a time of learning. Although I didn't end up going to school far away, it was still a big change. I would no longer wake up under the same roof as my family each morning, I would no longer eat dinner made by my mom each night (I would have to get used to the delicious caf food...HA!), I would have more responsibilities, I would share a bathroom with several other girls, I would have to adjust to no longer being a high schooler. So much changed, and at times, adjusting to the change was hard. But thankfully, change isn't always a bad thing and everything turns into a learning opportunity. Freshman year taught me a lot. It taught me a lot about my self, about other people, and just about life in general. Here are some of the most important lessons I learned this past year.
1. Naps are important.
So important, that I made it number one on this list. You're going to be tired. You're going to have to stay up late sometimes and wake up early sometimes. And even if you do get enough sleep, you're still going to be tired. So learn how to take naps. There's no shame in sleeping for an hour or two. Naps can solve a lot of problems.
2. It's perfectly fine to miss your family.
Oh, homesickness. Being extremely close with my parents, I will have to admit that I shed a number of tears in the first few weeks that I was at school. And that isn't something to be ashamed of. Among people who are so happy to finally be out of their houses and people who never wanted to go back home, I was one of the ones who couldn't wait to go back home any chance I could get. And even if you don't miss your family, you should still call home every once in a while.
3. College classes are a lot different than high school classes.
Some are easier, some are harder. Some are extremely laid back. High school teachers often warn you of extremely hard college professors and horror stories of their own professors, but in all honesty, it is more common than not to have super laid back professors. Professors sometimes cancel class just because. They don't really care if you're in class or not. They're getting paid regardless. A lot more responsibility is on your shoulders. And when it's test day, you don't have to wait until the whole class is done before you can leave. There's no bell to dismiss you. You just go.
4. You're going to miss your pets. A lot.
It's a weird feeling, walking into your dorm building, your "home" away from home, and not have your furry friend greet you. It just makes snuggles with your pets that much sweeter when you get home though.
5. Moving in is a lot better than moving out.
Move in day is fun. You're excited to see what college has to offer. But move out day is the worst. You just get to clean and stare at all the dust and hair that has collected on your floor over the course of the year.
6. High school doesn't really matter.
It matters in terms of education and learning. But in terms of social status, don't worry about it. If you were the most popular person in high school, chances are no one will really care in college. If you were considered the smartest person in high school, or maybe even the dumbest person in high school, it doesn't really matter. Your identity from high school doesn't define you.
7. Stay in touch with your friends from high school.
You may have been so ready to leave high school that you were ready to ditch everything that high school came with, including friends, but it's important to stay in touch with those people who were there for you for your high school years. It's fun to catch up.
8. APA formatting. Enough said.
You may have learned and used MLA all through high school. But clear your brain of everything you know because you're going to have to use APA formatting for citations mainly from now on.
9. Ask for help.
If you don't understand something in class, go to your professor's office hours! They are there to help you and chances are they would love for you to show up.
10. Time flies.
People say that all the time..."Time flies!". But man, it really does. It seems like just yesterday I was graduating high school, going dorm shopping, and anticipating the year ahead. Here I am now, done with freshman year. Sometimes the days went by slow, but overall, this year happened in the blink of an eye.
