What’s worse than seeing your roommate naked during your first week of college? Probably nothing except NOT WATCHING GAME OF THRONES! For those of you who like Keeping Up with the Starks, Lannisters and Targaryens, I hope you’ll appreciate this guide to college a bit more than you should.
For those of you who haven’t seen Game of Thrones yet, I strongly encourage you to get hooked. It’s kind of like watching a puppy play with a kitten. It’s so addicting that you can’t look away, but you know that there’s gonna come a time when one of them *boops* the other on the snout and cries, and you’ll jump out of your chair, grab the puppy (or kitten) and feel that weird out-of-body pain in your heart that they feel in their small sniffer. Then you’ll hold it close, slowly set it down again, and then WABAM! Back in your arms with Rambo the Chihuahua crying and Mittens the kitten pretending like nothing happened.
It’s a vicious cycle, but someone’s got to play it.
It reminds me a lot like college and Game of Thrones, so for you college freshmen looking to make your mark this year, here’s a heads up guide I hope you can look back on and laugh at later in the semester. For you vets in the college game, you know that in this Game of College, life can get crazy. So, I invite you to enjoy this walkthrough guide to Freshman year, as told by Game of Thrones:
1. You come to college feeling nervous, even regretting your decision and wishing you just stayed home.
2. But the moment you step out of the car, you get kicked in the a$$ by adrenaline and friendly people. You start mingling a little bit, maybe even making a few friends in your first day. But you’re not quite sure what to do, how to act, or where to go.
(A word to the wise: just be yourself ~)
3. The next day you get even more comfortable, and make your decision to stay – even if it’s just to try college for a few days and see how you feel. You might even say, “I made a good choice, good job, me!” (The second outcome is highly unlikely. Nerves keep you humble and questioning every decision you’ve ever made. It even makes you wonder if the pint of Ben and Jerry’s you just ate was worth it.)…(It was.)
4. You may even go out during the first weekend, but be careful not to lose your self-control! Stay true to who you are, and avoid people who pressure you into things you don’t feel comfortable doing. Anxiety, pressure, and impulses can lead to bad decisions that could change your life forever.
5. This
6. Can lead to this
7. And if you don’t,
8. You could be left feeling horrible about yourself
9. Don’t be afraid to
10. Basically if you feel pressured to drink by your friends, those aren’t the friends you’re looking for, and you’ll find fun doing something else.
11. But if you feel comfortable, know your limits and
12. When classes start, everything will seem fine
13. But then the work will start piling on. You’ll work hard for that grade.
14. Pace yourself; break the work into small bits rather than large chunks. Do a little at a time over the course of the week rather than all at once on Sunday night.
15. You’ll lose some friends that you made in the first few days.
(That’s, like, an ongoing thing in college.) But you’ll make new ones! So, there’s that, right?
16. The friends you’re meant to have in your life for one reason or another will stay, without you having to throw every ounce of effort into your friendship. They’ll be the ones who are brutally honest with you, all the time.
17. But remember, schooling comes first!
18. And in the game of college, you’ll be fighting hard for that grade.
19. So that you can learn the importance of learning.
20. And you can help make a difference in someone else’s life.
21. Yes, your year will be spotted with ups and downs.
22. Ok, it may be more like a bloody mess of ups and downs.
23. And there WILL be times when you just want to curl up in a ball and go home, because who really has time for this nonsense
24. And some people may go home. It’s not dropping out, it’s following your heart. Pretty gutsy for someone not even old enough to
25. But if you choose to stay, I promise you, you’ll grow stronger, and you will survive!
26. College is a stepping stone very few people get to touch
27. But freshman year helps you decide how to live your life to the fullest.
28. And when it’s all said and done, that’s something special.
29. When you go home, seeing your family will be the best feeling in the world.
30. So, go ahead, get WILD in your Freshman year!
31. Ok, be reasonable.
32. But have fun, and don’t take any of the bulls*it too seriously. You’re too good to worry about drama.
33. Remember that it’s your life. Enjoy it. Live it up, and rule your campus like the badass you are!