(Me right before school started, featuring my dad. Oh, so young and totally not ready for the next three years ahead.)
If I had the ability to go back in time and fix mistakes I have made in the past, I wouldn't. It's not that I believe that "everything happens for a reason" or something. I believe in learning from everything I've done and experienced, and because of that, I am not ashamed of my life I've so far left behind.
Except for the Croc cell phone case I had in the sixth grade. Yep. Croc cell phone case. It existed. Whatever. I digress.
But I do wish there were some things I had known coming into college. I was a little, terribly dressed bundle of anxiety and anticipation for school, and in retrospect, wish I had more advice about what I was going to expect from my new chapter of life (super cheesy, but is there a better way to describe going to college?).
So, enough with the redundant introduction and literary stalling, here is a list that totally doesn't exist on any other website of things I wish someone had told me while I was a freshman:
1. Breathe.
2. It's okay to make friends and then realize that you're not compatible as friends—you don't have to like everyone you meet. You will make friends, and lose some. Life goes on.
3. It's totally okay to eat cereal for every meal. Maybe not every day, but you know. Gotta do what you gotta do.
4. Your wedges look stupid. Stop wearing those everywhere. Sorry. (Kind of.)
5. Study.
6. Just because you aren't holding tangible, real money, doesn't mean that you aren't spending when you're using your debit card. Money goes fast in college. Especially in Charleston. Things cost money. Who knew?
7. Boys aren't everything.
8. Boys are nothing.
9. You actually have to do things yourself. You're gonna have to do laundry. You're gonna have to scrub a toilet. And the worst part is that the longer you wait to do both, the more dirty clothes you'll have to wash, and the more awful the toilet scrubbing will be.
Sorry for just giving advice on scrubbing toilets.
10. It's almost better not knowing why you're in school, or what you want to major in. I still sometimes don't know why I'm in school, and I really just chose a major because it seemed cool, not really because I see myself rising to the top of the music industry. Don't worry about it. Just remember to pick up a book or something every once in a while. See #5.
11. Don't make others feel ashamed for joining or choosing not to join Greek life. On that note, I am a bit biased because I didn't join Greek life. It's not vital to make friends in school, just know that. You will meet people and make some of the best friends you've ever had.
12. Partying isn't the only way to have fun on Friday/Saturday nights. Go to a movie, go on a walk, stay up late talking with friends...study? No? Good, I'll just be over in the corner of the library three years later, trying to bring up my GPA that you so gently murdered. Thanks, by the way, for that. P.S.: You're gonna get fat...ter.
13. Going off of that, FOMO (aka "fear of missing out" if you are living under a lingo-less rock, or my Mom. Hi Mom.) is dumb. Don't let people make you feel bad for not doing things with them all the time. If you want to hang out with friends, cool. If you want to sit in bed and watch three seasons of "Friends" alone, cool. Mix both together for a FOMO-less life. Boom.
14. Procrastinating is bad and seemingly incurable. I write this as I publish this article less than an hour before its deadline. Just try not to do it...every day.
15. Breathe. You got this.
