My first year of college flew by, and now, it's time to recap what all I've learned. Not only the lessons in the classroom, but the lessons I've learned from living in a dorm. So many of life's lessons we obtain are taught to us through the world we live in, those around us, and not the classroom itself.
So first of all, I learned that I needed to ration my dining dollars. As a freshman, I was required to buy the most expensive meal plan, but that didn't prevent me from spending my money too fast. Food was everywhere on campus, but only some places would take your meal plan, and the rest would take the dining dollars. So, saving up those dining dollars for finals was the best thing I learned my freshman year.
Another thing I learned was how to time the showers. In my building, the water was only hot certain days and at certain times, and this especially applied in the winter. So I had to figure out my shower schedule. Sometimes, I would have to rush back from my first class just to wash my hair before heading to my next. This was super stressful for me, because I'm the type of person who relaxes in the shower. On the bright side, we had private showers in our own dorm room.
I also had to learn the shortest ways to class. Luckily, my building was a shortcut. I could cut through this one hallway that lead up to the dining area for the campus and out the door and BAM! There were some of my classes. I could easily shave three minutes off of my walking. That's three minutes more I could sleep.
I also had to learn how to manage everything a lot better than I did in high school. Don't get me wrong, I was organized; however, college is a whole new playing field. I invested in a planner and organized my life every week. I made modifications, color codes with different pens, and I still would forget something. We're all humans though, so it's okay to make mistakes. I never missed any assignments, tests, or quizzes and that's what is important.
HOWEVER, out of all of these things, the most important thing I learned is this: I learned how to de-stress from school. My sorority and roommates really helped out with that. A quick study break to sonic, dancing to Wii fit in your living room, reading a good book, or having a wonderful movie night with your best friends, boyfriend, and neighbors are some great ways I was able to relax from the stress of college.
Learn to laugh with your friends and go on crazy adventures. Get out of your comfort zone and try to walk to most of your classes. I'm not going to tell you college will get easier, but there are ways to make it more tolerable. It's definitely true though that if you love what you do, then you'll never work a day in your life. Freshman year though is a lot of work, because your foundation from these classes will define you from here on out. So in order to play hard, you have to work harder.
