Dear Freshman-Year Me,

College is not going to be easy. Every TV show, movie, and Instagram picture lied. The first few weeks are going to be a huge adjustment, something you could never properly prepare for. Yes, you’ll contemplate transferring to a school that’s closer to home. In fact, you’ll be sure that you need to leave in December, that there is no way you’ll make it an entire year. Here’s a secret: it gets better.

It may not seem like it on that first night in your dorm room, but you’re going to make friends. The people you meet the first week of school will not be the same people sitting beside you in the library during Finals week in May. That’s okay because the good people, the lasting friendships will come later on. You will eat, nap, study, and share secrets with these friends. Somewhere along the way you’re going to forget what life is like without them. They’re going to make your college experience everything you’d hoped it would be.

You’re going to make a lot of mistakes, some you’ll regret more than others. Don’t worry, each of them will be a lesson, so don’t be too hard on yourself. This whole college thing is new for everyone; you’re not the only one that’s messing up. Take comfort in that and in knowing that this is the time to make mistakes. Let yourself learn from them, use your wrongs to figure out who you’re going to be.

One mistake you’ll make early on, that you should immediately correct is your lack of motivation. College is much harder than high school. Sure, you’ll be distracted by the lack of parental supervision and parties, but you’re there to learn. Don’t forget that. Study your hardest and don’t skip class. Waking up Friday morning after a long Thursday night will be difficult, but do it anyway. You’ll thank yourself after every exam. Don’t let your social life outshine your academic life. Your parents are working hard to send you here, make it worth their effort.

There will be a lot of late nights. Not all of them are going to be enjoyable. All-nighters in the library are not just a myth. Let coffee become one of your best friends. You're going to need it more than you ever have. Most college students run on caffeine and zero sleep. You will become one of them. There's no need to worry, you'll find your favorite coffee spot on campus and you won't remember a time when three cups a day wasn't normal.

I promise that come May, you won’t want to leave. Your little dorm room will feel like home and your new friends will be more like family. Everything you were expecting when you moved in will become reality, just give it some time. You will get the experience that you were hoping for, it’s just going to take more time than you expected. Don’t be discouraged. Do not let your frustrations force you to transfer. You’ll miss out on some pretty great experiences that will turn into your favorite memories.

Remember this: these are some of the best years of your life. Don’t let them go to waste. You’re here to learn, but don’t let the stress of studying eclipse everything else in your life. College is meant to be enjoyed, too. Opt to go on a long drive with your best friends instead of cracking open that American Lit textbook, or go out on a random Tuesday night. Ten years from now, you’re not going to remember class times, or your professors’ names. You will, however, look back on the moments when you laughed too hard or finished an entire bottle of wine with your best friend, when you should have stopped yourselves long before it was empty.

It will not feel like it during that first week when you’re still wandering around campus looking for your classes, but it will get better. It will get so much better that the thought of graduation will bring a tear to your eye. Study hard, but remember to enjoy yourself. You’ll always remember the good stories, not the good night's sleep.

Love,

Your Nostalgic-Junior-Year Self