You've officially survived high school and are packing up your personal belongings, getting ready to head off to start your college adventure. This is the place you'll get to experience your first taste of freedom, reinvent yourself and pursue the education needed to finally chase your dreams. For most of you, this is what you've been looking forward to all summer. Leaving home and starting the next chapter of your life is one of the most exciting times of your life. However, there are a few things no one tells you that you should know before you show up on campus and start this four-year journey:
1. Keep an open mind.
College can be a weird place when you go for the first time. You’ll meet all kinds of people, try all kinds of new things, and be exposed to things that you may have never been exposed to before you left home. Even though it’s a lot different than what you’re used to, always keep an open mind and don’t be afraid of the change. Embrace it and always be willing to step out of your comfort zone.
2. Attend the activity fair.
When you go to the activity fair you get to see what all campus has to offer you. There are so many clubs, job opportunities, and organizations that you can learn about here and have the chance to become a part of. It’s also a good way to get adapted and meet people when you’re new to campus.
3. Get involved.
Think about joining some clubs, organizations, or intramural teams. Your college experience will be so much more enjoyable if you get involved on campus. When you get involved you meet so many people and make so many new friends. Being involved will provide many opportunities that won’t be offered if you hide out in your dorm all day being antisocial.
4. Watch out for campus geese.
This may sound ridiculous, but it is not something to take lightly. Don’t feed them your curly fries, don’t hiss at them or provoke them if they’re in your way, don’t even look at them. They can and will attack you.
5. Watch our for skateboarders and bikers too.
If you’re walking to class and hear someone shout “coming up on your left,” do yourself a favor and move to your right unless you want to be ran over. People on bikes and skateboards don’t have to stop to avoid hitting you, and they won’t. I’ve encountered many people being ran over.
6. Work hard.
You moved away from home for the first time and have all the freedom you could ever ask for, I know. Don’t forget why you’re here though. Having fun is important, but so is your education. Have a good time and live a little bit, but find a good balance between working hard and playing hard.
7. Learn how to study.
You never had to study in high school? That's neat, but this is college. Tests get harder and you're actually required to retain information here. Buy some flash cards or get a group of students from your class together to study. Find out what works for you and stick to it. Believe me when I say that your days of winging it are over.
8. Never leave your clothes in the washer or dryer after the cycle is over.
When you wash or dry your clothes, set a timer so you know when they’re done and don’t leave them in the machine all day. People will take your clothes out and put them wherever they feel like just to use your machine. They have to wash their clothes too and they will not wait for you to come get your clothes.
9. Take shower shoes.
This is an absolute necessity. You don’t know who lives in your residence halls and what kind of foot fungi or athletes foot they may have. The dorm showers aren’t the most sanitary and you never know what you’re going to find in them from one day to the next. Shower shoes will be your saving grace in the dorm bathrooms.
10. Register for classes ASAP.
As soon as you possibly can, sign up for your classes. There are a lot of people who need to take the same classes as you, but there are only so many open seats in that class. If you don’t register quickly, classes will fill up and close and you’ll be out of luck until the next semester.
11. Your GPA isn't everything.
You may have had a GPA of 3.7 in high school, but now you’re in college and it’s probably significantly lower than 3.7 even though you tried as hard as you could. But remember that some day you’re not going to remember that you got a C in history 150, you’re going to remember the memories you made with your friends and the skills that you learned from your internship or other hand-on experiences. Those are the things that are going to matter the most to you down the road, so give it the good ole’ college try and don’t let your GPA define you.
12. Step out of your comfort zone.
A new place full of new people can be intimidating. Don’t let it scare you out of making the most out of your experience. Step out of your comfort zone and go try things you’ve never done before. You never know the things you’ll learn about yourself that might surprise you when you do.
13. Befriend your roommate.
Your roommate may be the coolest person you’ve ever met, and yet they may be someone you find yourself periodically hiding from throughout the year. Regardless of how much you like each other (or don’t), try to get along with them - because you’re stuck with them for nine months, and living with them can be so miserable and stressful if you don’t make an effort to get along.
14. Procrastination is not your friend.
You’re always going to say “I’ll do it later.” Trust me when I say that you will hate yourself for it when it’s the night before your research paper is due and the only things you’ve written so far is your name.
15. Naps are your new best friend.
You will probably take at least one nap every day, if not more. You'll find yourself setting your alarm for an 11-minute nap. It sounds silly, but seriously, it will be the best 11 minutes of your entire day. Trust me.
16. Be prepared to have mental breakdowns.
This may happen once a week, or it may happen three times a day. The point is, you're going to experience this. It's just a fact of college that you're going to have to come to terms with. When you're feeling stressed out, overwhelmed and on the verge of a breakdown, buy a tub of ice cream and watch some Netflix or go to the gym to blow off some steam. Whatever you do, don't just sit there and let the stress of it all consume you.
17. Work out and be healthy.
Everyone fears the famous “freshman 15.” If you gain it, don’t worry because it happens to almost all of us. However, do not think that you can avoid it by sitting on your futon while eating your weight in pizza, watching Netflix. Go to the rec center with some friends or join an intramural team. Stay active and try not to eat chicken strips and curly fries for every meal.
18. Don't go home every weekend.
We all know someone who goes home just about every weekend. Don’t be that person. Whether you’re homesick, have a significant other at home or you’re going home to see your high school friends, stay on campus as much as you can. The more time you spend adapting to campus and making friends there, the more campus is going to feel like home. You’ll miss out on so much if you’re leaving campus every opportunity you get.
19. Never forget where you came from.
If you’re anything like I was, you can’t wait to get away from your hometown and start adventures of your own. It’s exciting to start the next chapter of your life, but don’t throw your family and friends at home to the side. They’re the people who helped mold you into the person you are today and made this experience possible for you. You wouldn’t be who you are now or where you are now without them. Be thankful for them and for everyone you meet along the way throughout your college experience, because they’re going to be a big part of who you are.
20. Embrace everything.
There are going to be days that seem like they’ll never end and, for some of you, nights you won’t remember. Whatever you choose to make of your college experience, embrace it all and don’t take a single moment for granted. College will be the time of your life and you can’t go back when it’s over, so enjoy it all and make the most out of every opportunity. These are the days you’re going to miss someday. Time flies, so make your four years count.
Being in your shoes as a freshmen last year, these are the things I wish someone would have told me before I took the plunge into adulthood. You won't remember all of this right away, but they are things that you will learn in time along with how to wake up for an 8 a.m., how to do your own laundry and how to get around campus. Even though these are all things that you'll have to figure out eventually, enjoy your last few weeks at home with your friends and family and then walk into your first day of college with confidence and an open mind.
