With the hustle and bustle of high school graduation, all the presents and cards, everybody has got a word of advice for you. "Don't drink and drive." "Don't party too much." "Make sure you study an hour for every hour you are in class." With all of these words of advice being thrown your way, you'd think you'd get through freshman year without a bump in the road. Sadly, this isn't true. There is always something that jumps up and gets you. So, as if you weren't tired of getting advice, here is my list of 10 things I wish someone had told me before my freshman year of college.
1. The people you meet in the first week aren't necessarily going to be your friends all year, and that's OK.
With all of the freshman orientation events and social anxiety, the first week of college can bring out someone who isn't exactly you. You're all alone for the first time and the pressure to make friends is high. You are going to meet so many new people and not one of them is at the point where they feel like they can be themselves. So make as many friends as possible and don't feel the pressure to cling to them, because those people are good for the time being, but better friends might be down the road.
2. This is the only time in your life when a gym is going to be free AND you're going to have time to use it.
College comes with a free gym friends, use it. We all know you have enough free time to get there. Plus, this is the time in your life when losing weight is the easiest, so take advantage of that. A good workout is always good for productivity. It can relieve stress and be a fabulous study break.
3. If you're feeling peer pressure, you need new friends.
We are in college, people. We are adults. In my experience, people don't peer pressure in college. So if by chance, you have found the people that do, it's time to find new friends. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life. You came to college with the thought that you wanted to be yourself, so hold tight to that and hold tight to your morals and opinions.
4. Just because it's all you can eat doesn't mean you should have all you can eat.
Most colleges are equipped with an all you can eat type of cafeteria. Paired with high levels of stress, this can be a very bad mixture. If you start with the mentality to eat good proportions, it should be fairly easy to keep that up. So put down those six cookies and go study my friends.
5. College is expensive, but you don't have to be a “broke college kid.”
Yes, college is getting more and more expensive, but there are endless opportunities for scholarships and grants and financial help out there. Go and find them! You choose the broke college life, it doesn't find you. Yes, you have to make sacrifices. No, you can't spend $100 at Sephora every month. No, you can't eat at Taco John's every day. These are small sacrifices you have to make, so learn how to manage your money now before it's all gone.
6. There isn't only one way to study, and your high school methods of studying may not be sufficient anymore.
I was definitely the person that got by on pure talent in high school. I quickly learned that my natural talent wasn't going to cut it anymore. I even took college courses in high school and did fairly well. Find out a good method of studying and find a quiet place to study. Each course might require different methods of studying! It is best to realize this before you are sitting in the shower crying over your notes that you thought would suffice.
7. You can stay friends with people from high school, but don't hold on to them so much that you scare away new friends.
You've known your high school friends for years. They are fabulous friendships and you can always count on them. This may or may not be true for you, but either way, this is a new chapter. You don't have to burn the old chapters, but don't let the old chapters stop you from writing new ones. The fear of the new friends not being as good as the old ones can really make or break your college relationships. On the other side, just because you are going to college doesn't mean you have to burn all of your bridges. Some of those people have always been there and they might always be there, so don't ruin that by thinking you can't stay friends throughout college. Check in on each other every once and awhile, but don't suffocate them. Balance is key.
8. Mom isn't the enemy.
Yeah, she badgered you for 18 years of your life, and she still will, but that was only because she can see your mistakes before you make them. Whether you want to admit it or not, she is wiser than you. Most of everything she did was out of love for you. After all, she put up with you for how long? Exactly. So get off your college high horse and call your mother for goodness sake…you know you miss her.
9. Boys are people.
Boys aren't toys, they aren't a prize to be won, and they surely aren't aliens. Boys are people too, so treat them that way. It is more than OK to have guy friends, but don't let these relationships ruin the ones with your girl friends. This mixture is toxic and most of the time you end up losing both friends. Boys can seem mysterious and somewhat intimidating. But newsflash: they think the same about us girls. Just remember this shared frustration and relating to them might get a lot easier.
10. College isn't just about fun.
Remember the reason you're here in the first place. It isn't to make friends, party, watch Netflix, and stay up till 4 a.m. Those are just bonuses. You choose to go to college to further your education, get a degree and make a good life for yourself. Yes, it is important to take advantage of this time to make memories and have fun, but always keep the end goal in mind.
Even though freshman year has been stressful, it has been one of the best years of my life. Make sure that you are making to most of every opportunity and use this time to make some fun memories with some new people.
Much love,
