I spent my senior year of high school wondering how my life would be in college. I dreamed of joining a sorority and attending football games on Saturdays. I could not wait for study dates in cute coffee shops and late-night food runs. I thought I would immediately meet my best friends and I would never be homesick.
I do not think anyone can really predict how their first semester at college will go. The first semester was definitely a roller coaster, but I learned a great deal about myself and college in general. Below are the main lessons I learned during my first semester at college.
You will get homesick. Homesickness is inevitable, especially if you go far way for a school like me. This is the first time most freshmen are on their own. I assumed that because I was homesick I had made the wrong choice in universities, but I could not have been more wrong. I began to create a routine for myself and soon I was too busy enjoying my new life at college to be homesick.
You probably will not meet your best friends the first week of school. I did meet a few of my best friends the first week I was at school, but it takes time to build strong friendships. You are going to spend time with a lot of different people during the first semester and this helps you decide what kind of friends you want to make. It takes time and effort, but eventually you find the amazing people you will spend the rest of your college days with.
You have to study all the time. College classes are harder than high school classes. It is easy to think you will have so much free time because there is not as much time spent in the classroom. However, college classes are more demanding and require more study time than high school classes. Studying is a skill, and you have to adjust your study habits for college work. It is okay to hit a few bumps when it comes to grades, just make sure to learn from the mistakes and not repeat them again. It is okay to spend a night in studying rather than going out with friends. It might not be the more fun decision, but you will be thankful you chose to study when you see your GPA.
Take care of yourself and your belongings. It is easy to get wrapped up in college and form unhealthy habits. Eat well, exercise and sleep. Make sure to clean the dorm room every now and then. Having a clean dorm room can even help the homesickness by making you feel more at home.
Have fun. The first semester of college is a unique experience. This is the first time you are on your own with no one telling you what to do. Make lots of new friends, enjoy a night out after a long week of studying. The semester goes by quick and soon you will be back home wishing you were with all your friends at your home away from home.
