If I could redo my freshman year of college I probably wouldn't because each experience I had was a needed learning curve, but it would have been nice to learn several lessons without some of the turmoil.
I wish I had known not to sweat the small stuff. That party I didn't go to? It's OK because I needed the sleep. The random classes that I missed? I needed the extra hour in my day to remain sane. The opportunities I missed because I was too stressed? Other opportunities came later. Your freshman year is supposed to be a year of growth. You won't always make the right decision, but that doesn't mean you're making the wrong decision. Every decision will provide you with something valuable.
Some friends will come and go. If you are lucky, as I was, you will at least have a solid group from the beginning. Even if the friendships remain, situations change as people change. Instead of being frustrated by the changes, embrace and own that fact that you are growing too. Nothing and nobody is stagnant in college. Don't resist it — embrace it.
It's OK to not know what you want to study as much as it is to know what you want to study. For those who feel like they have a strong sense of what they want to do, go forth on that path with full force. That was me, but I'm grateful that I allowed myself to explore other options and passions. In college you will be guided through your journey by faculty and staff. I declared what I had intended to my freshmen year, but that doesn't mean over the course of my freshmen and sophomore year I was certain about my decision. Don't stick to the straight and narrow path. Step outside of your comfort zone because you may find something you never knew you could love.
I think it is completely safe to say that about 95 percent of freshmen boys are completely not worth your time. They are enjoying their newfound freedom and want nothing standing in their way of every stupid decision they wish to make. We as girls have a lot of stupid decisions to make too, so it's best not to mix the two unless you find someone genuinely interested in you and who deserves your heart.
Walk into your freshmen dorm for the first time with as little fear and apprehension as you can manage. Let yourself get overly psyched for what's ahead. Enjoy every moment, because let me tell you, it goes by too fast.
