To the incoming college freshmen,
Being a senior in college is both scary and exciting, because it's the start of the end of an era; but along with that comes some responsibility, which, to me, includes sharing a couple of things that I wished I knew when I started out at college.
The first thing you experience as a freshman is orientation. Every school does it differently, but I will say, MAKE THE MOST OF IT. Raise your hand if you know the answer to a trivia question- it might win you a free T-shirt. Put yourself out there, and say hi to someone who seems like a person you would want to be friends with. And most of all, don't be too cool for the activities. They're actually fun if you let yourself act silly.
Living in a dorm is both exciting and annoying. It's like a sleepover every day, and there's always someone there to hang out with you when you're bored. But give time to yourself, shut your door sometimes, or go explore your surrounding location. It's easy to burn out socially if you don't. (And that's coming from an extremely social person.)
Decorate your room somehow. Your room on campus is just like your room at your parent's house. It's your space and a direct reflection of you. Coming home to a room with cinder block walls after a stressful, long day of classes is not fun, so hang up that sports team flag or those canvases you slaved over. Spice it up a bit.
The freshman 15 is a real thing, as is the freshman 25 for some people. It's a cold, hard truth but with living on campus, or your parents not feeding you every night, it's easy to go pick up McDonald's twice a week, and go up for that fourth plate of food. BUT, it's preventable too! Use your school gym and watch your proportions.
Go to your school events, ESPECIALLY if you're a commuter. They're actually fun, and most of them are school traditions. Dress up for your school's early Halloween party, go to late night bingo, scream your head off cheering for your school's sports team. You'll make memories that you can never replace.
Keep in contact with your high school friends if you truly enjoyed being around them. Friendships are hard, especially when you're not given the chance to see them five days a week. If you actually enjoyed some of the people you went to high school with, remember to text them every once in awhile, send a Snapchat, ask them how they've been. It'll make the summer and winter breaks a lot more enjoyable.
And lastly, enjoy your time. College is honestly one of the best experiences a person can ever have, so long as you let yourself enjoy it. Learn the balance of fun and school, and realize that sometimes it's OK to pull an all-nighter, because the night before, you were out with your friends making memories that'll last a lifetime.
