Welcome all you bright eyed, energized, pumped up freshmen! You are about to start the newest and biggest journey of your life so far! You just graduated high school so you probably all are thinking about how incredibly excited you are to no longer be needing to deal with the place you just spent four years at. Well prepare yourself to spend another four years at a school but this time you have to pay for it. You need to actually study hard and you need to jump out of your comfort zone. College is absolutely nothing like high school. It's so much more. Let's head to the basics:
1. No more mom and dad on your back about stuff.
Now unless you're living at home, you'll be staying in a dorm. The only people you need to listen to are the RA and RD. I won't lie to you in saying you don't even really need to listen to them. Basically people do a lot of whatever they want but the thing is, don't get caught. No parents means freedom to explore your self and learn some valuable life lessons. It also means no one reminding you to study or do homework or nagging you about it. It's all on you so get to work!
2. Unlike high school, prepare to spend A LOT of money. And I mean a lot!
Not only is college tuition completely too much, you need to pay for way more. Cost of living in the dorms, meal plans to buy gross food, and don't even get me started on the costs of books! You're spending a lot of money so try to get good grades so you don't need to give the system even more cash. Study study study!
3. Get out of your comfort zone! Shy or not, it's time to channel your outgoing side.
You'll need to make new friends so that's means time to become a social butterfly from day one! Friends help you adjust way quicker into this big change. Join clubs and organizations and don't be afraid to attend things by yourself. Just enjoy your time but don't forget you need to study!
The biggest advice I could give to the incoming freshmen is simply to do your work. You are there to get the degree. So get it! Of course you want to have a little fun while doing it but don't forget why you came. You are putting a lot into this and you want success. Find a study buddy to make things not so boring. Reward yourself for a job well done. Just don't let the social life get to you too much because in the end you're going to be leaving that place and you want a degree in your hand. You have a long 4 years ahead of you so good luck! Just remember to have fun but most importantly be safe. And oh yeah, study!
