Coming into my freshman year of college, I thought that I would be all by myself, sad and want to transfer to a college closer to my hometown. I also thought I would automatically know exactly want I want to do with my life. Little did I know that I would be completely wrong about all of these. I have met some of the best people here that I know will with me for the rest of my life and I love my college and never plan to leave, well until graduation. I still don’t know completely what I want to do with my life. Now that freshman year is almost over, here are some lessons that I learned from this year.
1. Don’t dwell on high school.
I know that you just graduated and are used to being around the same people and in the same town, but this is a time to figure yourself out and have a fresh start with new people. The best decision I made was going to a college where there were few people who went to high school with me. For this reason, I met so many people I wouldn’t have met if more people with my high school went to the same place I did.
2. Go out and explore.
It’s scary to think about going out and seeing what is out in your college when you just got here and staying in your room watching Netflix sounds so much better, but trust me, you will regret this decision. Whenever there is anything going on your campus, go to it. Even if it ends up being not fun at all, you will have a memory with your friends and could meet some new friends at these events. Go out and have fun!
3. It’s alright to not know what you want to do.
When I first started college, I thought I had it all figured out. I knew exactly where I was going until I had my first class in my major and realized this is definitely not what I want to do with the rest of my life. I realized that this is quite common and it’s fine. I know now that I am in the right major and I still have time to figure these things out.
4. Your friends are your lifeline.
Make sure you pick the right ones because they are the ones to help you through this crazy first year. I have no clue what I would have done if I wouldn’t have met my best friends at the beginning of my freshman year. They help me through everything and vice versa. These people are your lifeline through college and you will thank them for that.
5. College is hard.
I thought that coming into college, it would be a breeze. I always heard in high school that college was hard but I wasn’t expecting how hard it actually is. I figured it would be harder, but didn’t realize how much work is involved. You need to do the work and attend class and take notes if you even want to think about passing. Some classes are easier than others but most are this way. By the end of the semester, you are just ready to be done.
Freshman year is definitely a transition period in your life. It is the first time that you are away from everything that you have known in your life. I can’t wait to see what the next 3 years holds!
