Graduating high school is both an exciting and extremely terrifying thing. Finally, you think, no more waking up at 6 a.m., no more catty drama, no more gym class. You've been waiting for college for as long as you can remember, and it's almost unreal that the time has already come to pack your life into too-small suitcases and embark on the newest adventure.
Unless you have a few older friends to guide you through the process, adapting to college life is a hectic maze, one that you often feel you weren't prepared for. Even with help from my upperclassmen friends and quite a few intuitive articles, my freshman year was still somewhat of a train wreck, and I often found myself in situations that left me helpless and stressed out. For that reason, I've compiled a list of (almost) everything you can probably expect out of your freshman year and how to handle it with some dignity.
1. The food is either expensive, disgusting, or highly fattening. This one might sound painfully obvious, but it's truly eye-opening when you find yourself staring at limp lettuce, high-carb pasta dishes, and mushy fruit. However, if you want to avoid toxic dining hall food, you have to pay the big bucks. Big bucks that a baller on a budget just doesn't have. Even worse is when finals weeks comes around and you realize you've got a whopping $2.31 left in your meal plan that has to last you for the next five days. Use your (parent's) money wisely, and budget which days you can splurge on Ben & Jerry's and a bag of chips, and which days you should stick to the ridiculously cheap dining hall "cuisine."
2. Your bed will never feel as comfortable as a 3.5 GPA looks. So open the curtains, pull back the covers, and get your ass to class. Just because your mom isn't there to ground you, doesn't mean you should skip class (even if it's a really boring lecture taught by the professor who sometimes spits on the front row and drones on about our generation's social media problem). This also means closing out the Netflix tab and taking the time to study. You won't regret those few extra hours spent buried in your textbook when you get to tell your mom you made Dean's List
3. Frat parties are not that fun and you don't have to pretend to like them. Sure, everyone has a special night or two during which they stand on a table and chant the lyrics to "I Love College," followed by a shotgun of Natty Ice and a few bumps and grinds with the fellow next to them. I'd say that's a pretty successful night out, wouldn't you? But there does come a time when you're allowed to be too skeeved out to walk ankle-deep in frat juice, and when you can acknowledge that the boys are really not all that charming. At this point, I suggest finding some connections to apartment parties, which are far more intimate and far less sticky.
4. Your room is not your own. You can't lie in bed naked for hours after your shower, you can't invite people over without consultation, and you can't blast the new Kanye album at all hours of the night. You now share a very small space with another human being, and the only way you're gonna be able to walk out of those nine months without having killed each other is by respecting one another's space, privacy, and belongings (i.e. don't steal her clothes, don't bring a boy home at 3 a.m., and pretend you don't hear her if she's crying while she thinks you're asleep). Keep in mind, however, that this also holds true for your roomie, and don't be afraid to speak up when they do something ridiculously rude or annoying. Otherwise nine months will feel more like nine years.
5. Your mom is capable of being annoyed by you. I learned this the hard way when calling my mom once a week turned into calling her one to two times per day. Of course your mom misses you and I'm sure she is more than happy to know that you got a 93 on that quiz you hardly studied for, but give the woman a break. She finally has some peace and quiet at home, and that need not be interrupted every time your annoying Aunt Sherrie comments on the red solo cup in your Facebook profile picture. Just shoot her a text, I assure you she will respond, and it'll give you that much more to talk about the next time you're feeling really homesick. Which reminds me...
6. You will feel homesick. No matter how much you rant on about wanting to leave your hometown, and being so ready to have freedom and responsibility, you're going to get homesick at one time or another. It's totally unavoidable, whether you suddenly start craving your mom's homemade lasagna, or you've just had enough of showering with shoes on, there will come a day when your heart yearns to be back in the sanctity of your own home. Life hack: if you start a countdown, the days go by unbelievably quicker, and soon enough you'll be en route to home sweet home.
8. Having fun is just as important as academics. It sounds super cliche, but you only get four years here. When you walk across that stage at graduation, you want to look down on a crowd full of familiar faces and fond memories, and that all begins your freshman year. Memories won't happen if you spend your days and nights staring at your computer screen, re-watching "One Tree Hill" for the sixth time, and they won't happen if you hide behind your school work to avoid socializing. Get out and make connections! There are so many fascinating people to meet at college, and so many exclusive opportunities. Join a club, Greek life, an intramural sport, anything to get involved and make the most of the four short years you have before emerging into the adult world.
No matter how much you prepare, you'll never be "ready" for your freshman year, but that's what makes it so memorable. There are countless new experiences waiting for you, and many will not be as thrilling as you expected. But if college is a roller coaster, freshman year is definitely the first big drop, and that's undoubtedly the most exhilarating part. So put your hands up and enjoy the ride, no matter how scared you might be, because it'll be over before you know it and you only get one chance at it.
