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1. You don't think you'll miss home, but you will.
You'll spend the majority of your high school years swearing you can't wait to get out... Well, once you get out, you'll miss certain aspects of home whether you realize it or not.
2. You'll probably feel terrified when your parents drop you off.
I cried when my parents left. I didn't know what to do. I was so used to having people lay out my schedule for me or tell me what I'm supposed to do, but all of a sudden I was my very own person, and I didn't know how to handle it.
3. And you're going to feel really, really lonely.
At first, it's gonna be hard. You're not going to be super familiar with the campus, you're not going to know your roommates very well, and it's going to take a while to not feel like everyone's looking at you as "The Freshman" when you're walking to and from class and the dining hall. But it does get better. It might take a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months – but eventually, you'll settle in and find some solid friends who know how to make you feel at home.
4. Some people will treat you like babies. And it's annoying.
But you're not a baby! You're in college! You're an adult! How dare they! – Ignore them. The people who treat you like you're super young and naive were once in your shoes. It's kind of like when you were a freshman in high school, and people made fun of you – but once you became a sophomore, you made fun of the new class. It's a cycle. It doesn't end in high school, but it's really insignificant. Just prove them wrong by being the best you possible, even if you are "young."
5. You don't have to go to every event the campus throws.
When I first got to school, I felt obligated to go to every single welcome event the university threw for freshmen, as well as all of the fun things Student Activities coordinated. I felt like if I went, suddenly I would make friends and be popular. And while going to lots of events was all right at first, sometimes I just didn't feel like showing up to all the movie and bingo nights. While yes, it is a good scene to socialize in, I found most of my good friends either through my dorm or in my classes.
6. You also don't have to go to every single football game.
It took me several football games to realize this. Yes, go to the first college football game and experience all the glory of university football playoffs. Yes, enjoy the lights and the fireworks and the people drenched in body paint and glitter. And for goodness' sakes, don't be afraid to sing your school's song or dance to get on the dance cam. But if sitting through a several-hour-long game in the dark isn't your cup of tea, then don't feel like you have to go. Sometimes my roommate and I would plan on going but instead would stay in and have quality time watching TV together. Although sometimes you might feel alienated from the big buzz on campus, don't go if you don't want to. It's okay to have me time. But hey, if you love football and are a staunch supporter of the team, then by all means, go support. You do you.
7. Adjustment is hard, but eventually you'll find your niche.
An only child from a graduating class of 35 coming into a campus of 15,000? Yeah, that was hard. Adjusting to sharing a room of 20 square feet with two other girls, as well as living in a quad with four others in different rooms? Hard. Figuring out and adjusting to my schedule, as well as fitting into all my classes? Also hard. But soon I found what worked for me and what didn't. I realized that if I went to the library between classes, I could get some work done while also being close to on-campus dining options. I knew that sometimes I had to give up fun weekend events to get some homework done, but I also knew what friends I could hang out with as soon as my work was finished. And you, freshmen, will get to that place too. Give yourself time.
8. College professors are WAY more chill than high school teachers claimed.
"You won't get away with that in college," said every single middle and high school teacher ever. And while yes, there are some super strict professors out there, most of them are pretty dang chill. For instance, one of my professors first semester held a meme contest (I won, by the way) and also showed us all his bodybuilding pictures from 10 years ago. Do you know any high school teachers who would have done that? I don't. Also, I had this one professor who was SUPER chill on due dates. I'm not telling you to slack off; I'm just saying some professors don't care as much as long as the assignment gets done in the end. So be courteous and professional with your professor but also relax a little. They're human; I promise you a little joke here or there won't hurt them. In fact, professors LOVE to make and hear jokes. Take note of that.
9. You don't have to be best friends with your roommate: just be a decent person.
I got super lucky and became really close with my roommates, but I know that's not the case with everyone. So if you end up not really liking your roommate, please don't be rude or petty. Don't drag high school crud into a place where budding adults are paying to get an education to pursue their futures. Just be respectful of your roommate's space, clean up after yourself, and be civil. It isn't that hard. Unless your roommate is literally crazy and you need to switch rooms, there's no need to make unnecessary enemies.
10. The dining hall is great, but explore the other on-campus options too.
I ate at the dining hall a lot at the beginning of my first semester, which was fine; but it didn't give me much room to explore the numerous other places on campus, as well as all the restaurants around the city that accepted money from my school's dining account system. Don't be afraid to branch out. The dining hall will always be there when you need it, but chances are you'll find more of what you're in the exact mood for at specific restaurants.
11. Explore the town, go on adventures, experience freedom.
Celebrate being an adult. Celebrate being independent as you take steps to establish yourself in the real world. Find out what cool things the town offers and go do them! For me, I went on a lot of hikes this past year, visited some nearby cities, tried out nearly all the local coffee shops, and so much more. Grab your friends and go on spontaneous adventures on the weekends. Don't feel like you always have to stay on campus – trust me, it gets old. After a long week of studying and test-taking, it feels good to reward yourself. So do it! College can be scary sometimes, but there are many rewarding moments. Take advantage of those.
12. When people say these are the best years of your life, they mean it.
College is amazing. It's waaaayyyy better than high school, but without the stress and financial worry of being a fully independent adult. You know you have a bed to come back to at the end of the night. You know who your friends are and that they'll probably be in your life for a long time because – let's face it – you're a lot more likely to stay in contact with them than people from your high school town. You know how to have fun, where all the great places to eat are, and where adventure can be found: your camera roll and Instagram feed document it all. People say these are the best years because they wish they could go back and relive the "good old days." So enjoy them while you live them. Sure, college can be really really difficult sometimes, but in retrospect, you'll usually find that the good outweighs the bad. So go, young freshmen, and live out some of the best four years of your life.
