things no one told me about freshman year
you might meet your best friends in the first couple weeks… or you might not
my best college friends are the people that I met right off the bat, but it wasn’t until the second semester of my freshman year that my circle of friends really widened and I met some amazing people. So while those first few weeks are really important for meeting people (mostly because everyone is so receptive and open to making friends), you shouldn’t feel discouraged if you don’t make any great connections during those first few weeks.
please, please, please, be safe
if you’re going to party, drink, smoke, anything along these lines, PLEASE BE SAFE. especially for you freshman girls. this is the most vulnerable time of your life for any sort of sexual harassment or assault. do NOT go anywhere alone, be conscious of the people you’re interacting with, let your friends know where you are, have the number to your campus security on speed dial, carry pepper spray/a key weight, and BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. there are upperclassmen and people outside of college who will take advantage of you so please be smart and safe.
you’re probably going to bring too much stuff
you’re going to think you need more stuff than you do. don’t bring 50 t-shirts and 10 pairs of jeans. bring what you’ll reasonably wear in 2-3 weeks (including some nicer stuff for those occasions). don’t bring 50 books. bring 5-10, read them, and then take them home and get more. if you live far away, i understand erring on the side of caution and being prepared, but if you’re closer to home, bring less than what you think you need.
get to know your RA
if you’re as lucky as I was, you’ll have an amazing RA who is super helpful during such a crazy transition. Talk to him/her about your concerns, ask them for advice, and learn from them. If they have the same major as you, BONUS. Their job is to be there for you, so definitely take advantage of that
on a similar note, get to know other upperclassmen
meet older people in your major. ask them about their experiences with professors and classes. they might have insight into your department or your school in general that you might not get elsewhere. make friends with upperclassmen, one because they’re probably awesome, and two because they might be able to help you in ways you can’t even imagine.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RUSH
this applies to guys and girls. under no means do you have to join a fraternity or sorority. you will be able to make friends and have a fulfilling life outside of a club. if you want to rush, do it, but if you don’t, don’t feel pressured. I rushed and I love my club, but my roommate didn’t and she’s just as happy and loves college just as much as I do. Do whatever YOU want to do.
it’s okay to hate your roommate
I am extremely lucky to have been paired with the roommate I was paired with, but some of my friends weren’t so lucky. if you’ve never lived with someone before, it’s a hard adjustment. if you and your roommate don’t gel, that’s okay. be patient, understanding, and try to focus on being the kind of person you would want to live with. if things get REALLY bad to where you just can’t live with them, let your RA know.
CALL YOUR FREAKING PARENTS
Not everyone has a great relationship with their parents, but surely you have SOME adult that loves you and wants to know how you’re doing. Call your parents or that adult and let them know how you are. It doesn’t have to be every day and you don’t have to tell them everything. (literally I called or texted with my parents every day just heading back from class and told them how my day was and what I have coming up.)
college classes are NOT like high school classes
different places (specifically in the US) have such different education systems, so many of us come from a variety of academic backgrounds. I had friends who really didn’t have to take many standardized tests because of where they grew up, while I had to take a bunch of standardized tests because I was raised in North Florida. that being said, college is not high school. you learn really quickly what you didn’t ever learn in high school and where you’ll struggle. allow yourself the time and the grace to adjust without being too hard on yourself. learn from others, and make sure to ask for help when you need it.















