Adjusting to college living is, in simplest terms, tough. Anyone who has conquered freshman year can tell you this. Once your alone in a brand new room, clothes neatly folded in drawers, fresh sheets, and a desk free of clutter, the experiences to follow will be new and your room will not stay clean for long.
1. You are your own advocate.
As much as I felt free in high school and at home, nothing compared to being thrown into sole responsibility over everything that happens in your day-to-day life. While I could still confide in my parents over the phone, I had to learn to stand by myself and figure out what it meant to live on my own. This was a struggle for a while, but it forces you to grow into the capable student that college requires. Dealings with class schedules, advisors, and sometimes even tuition, is all in your hands. As time goes on, one can only become more comfortable and confident in these roles.
2. Keeping up with laundry is sometimes hard.
I folded laundry for a chore at home for years, and yet, at college, finding the time and energy to do laundry was a struggle. Between class time, dinner, hanging with friends and focusing on homework, sometimes laundry slips your mind. That is until it is overflowing or you remember at the same time as the rest of your dorm, and you must wait for an open washer. With this new sense of responsibility, I understood how great a superhero my mom was because she made doing laundry look so easy.
3. Eating right Is a must.
A cafeteria holds many options for each meal. Some are good choices, others are not. Portion control is necessary and so is an awareness of what you are consuming. Just because you are free to eat what you want, doesn’t mean you should and just because there is always dessert, doesn’t mean you need it after every meal. Basically, you need to defeat the threat of the “Freshman Fifteen”. Aim for a healthy diet for that can help you also thrive academically.
4. It is OK to go to the gym alone.
It may seem scary at first, but the gym isn’t all that bad. No one there will judge you when your trying something new. It is already incredible to take the time out of your day to stay healthy and the gym can help with any stress. Don’t fret going to the gym but go on your own time and learn to enjoy that time.
5. Being in clubs is very beneficial.
You will make some of the best friends and meet interesting people through clubs. Clubs integrate many people in the community, bringing them all together around one interest. Don’t feel like you have to join a lot of clubs, but it is a good way to get involved in the school community and be social.
6. It is OK to say no.
Whether this be an invite from friends or something you are uncomfortable with, it is always OK to say no. Peer pressure is sometimes intense when you have a group of friends surrounding you. The social scene is almost always on since you live among and with your peers and friends. Staying in to study, do homework, or even take some time for yourself isn’t always looked down upon, it is often respected. Being able to balance that social life of going out with friends and taking care of your GPA is an important skill to have. Never be embarrassed or feel judged when saying no to someone or something.
7. Getting a B doesn’t mean you did bad, or even getting a C!
Getting straight A’s in college is almost 25 times harder than it was in high school. This is a big adjustment to a student used to doing well and seeing results. Sometimes, courses will even be spread out exam wise and the amount of grades that accumulate to form your final grade, are few and of a high percentage of that overall total. This is stressful, but also a challenge for those who seek success academically. Though, the best thing about these challenging courses, is that they bring you one step closer to the ultimate career you crave.
8. Sometimes daytime naps are necessary.
High school classes used to fill your day through and through, but nowadays, you may have one to three classes a day. Yes, they are for longer blocks of time, but they also maybe spread over the day, allowing for downtime in between. I found that in the aftermath of a long night of studying and homework, it is worth a nap between classes. A fresh mind and body will enable you to take on the rest of your day. Never be ashamed to take a nap.
9. Take care of yourself!
Living in a dorm is like being thrown into a mosh pit of germs. Flu season can take over a dorm or a hall, and the close quarters can aide in the spread. Remember to wear your shower shoes and never walk into the bathroom barefoot. Your personal health should come before all others, extra activities, balanced along side required work. Knowing your body and taking care of yourself will help you stay healthy. This includes getting enough sleep that will also boost your immune system and refresh the cells in your body.
10. Freshman year will change you.
Whether you are ready for freshman year or have gone to boarding school previously, the experiences themselves are unique to the colleges themselves and will shape you. The classes will shape you academically and you will be challenged. No matter if you are fulfilling a liberal ed course or a course for your major, it will be a cut above high school. But again, the whole criteria of living alone, requires you to adapt to the environment. You will become more responsible and gain new skills.
You may become more social or find the new academic endeavors a challenge, however, no matter how you spend your time, it is the experiences, the people, and the education in and out of the classroom that will continue to shape you until you go home for the summer. And even then, you may want to go straight back even though freshman year kicked your butt!
