The time has come. You've donned the graduation cap and gown, you've walked in front of hundreds. You've received dozens of envelopes in the mail, containing glorious amounts of money. You've arrived. And as you're officially finishing the last of your high school years, you are beyond ready to get onto the next part: college. And as fun as it sounds (and trust me, as fun as it is), there are probably some things you should know.
1. Not everybody feels "at home" right away.
This was one of the hardest parts for me, I think. The first night, after the excitement and rush of moving in died down and my parents left, I kind of sat at my desk, opened up my laptop and stared for a good bit. I had no idea what to do with myself. Of course, dozens of thought ran through my head: Maybe I shouldn't have come. Maybe college isn't for me. I kind of miss my parents already. And as silly as those thoughts sound, I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking them. The important thing to remember is that most everybody is in the same boat. Not everybody knows each other yet and not everybody is used to being away from home. It's a weird feeling being a stranger in your new home. But it doesn't last for too long. Soon, you will start classes and you will meet people right and left. Soon, you will be walking on campus and actually know where you're going. And in those moments, you will begin to feel at home.
2. Save, save, SAVE!
Yes, that 20 piece chicken nugget combo may seem like a good deal. You may tell yourself it's only just this once. And yes, it may sound like the best thing in the world, but do not, under any circumstances, continue to cave into your fast-food cravings. Not only is it awful for your health, you will watch the numbers in your bank account slowly (yet oh so quickly) dwindle down into nothing. That goes for clothes and shoes, too. This is especially true for those of you going into colleges in small towns. When you feel as though there is nothing to do, don't go out and shop with the money you should be saving for a rainy day or emergency (or you know, student loans...). The important thing to remember is to save your money. Deny yourself the little things for the time being in order to avoid looking at $0.27 in your bank account.
3. It's OKAY to ask for help.
If you don't know where you're going, ask! Chances are the person you ask is a fellow freshman and won't know either, but after a couple of people you try, there's bound to be someone who can point you in the right direction. If you don't know what's good to eat in the dining halls, if you don't know how to enroll for the next semester's classes, if you don't know where to go to rush for a fraternity or sorority, just ask. It's not easy to figure out everything on your own. Fellow students are good people to ask questions about the campus too, and always keep your academic adviser in mind as well for questions about classes and scheduling and graduating on time. You may feel foolish, but trust me, no one is thinking that.
4. Not all that glitters is gold.
I think part of most people's college experience is seeing all the fun everybody is having and wanting to join in. And while some fun is good, always remember that your main reason for being there is to learn, so when the fun starts getting in the way of getting to classes on time, turning in papers when they're due, and getting sleep at night, then "fun" might not be worth it anymore. The best thing you can do is schedule everything. Schedule when you're going to classes, schedule in time to study and finish projects, schedule in eating time, too while you're at it. And in the spaces that aren't filled up, you can schedule fun. Just be safe and remember that everything you do has a way of catching up with you -- good or bad.
5. Sharing a room can be difficult.
For most of your life you've probably had a room to yourself. When going into college, that changes. And even though most people (like I) romanticize about having the perfect roommate and getting along every second of the day and having a cool room, that doesn't necessarily happen for everyone. Sometimes things get messy (both physically and relationship-wise). The best thing to do is probably communicate and give each other space. Get out. Go to the library, the park, the dining hall, etc. Just get some space when you're feeling over-crowded or overwhelmed. The worst thing to do is to get into little petty arguments every day. Also, cleaning schedules are never followed, so I wouldn't bother.
6. Call Home every so often.
As busy as life gets, it sometimes never crosses your mind to call whoever's back home. Just remember that as much as you're experiencing something new, so are they. They're probably not used to you not being there 24/7 and college is definitely a change for everybody. Keep them in mind, too.
Good luck! And I hope you enjoy your freshman year as much (and hopefully more than) I enjoyed mine.
Sincerely,
An Incoming Sophomore...so take my advice with a grain of salt.
