Hi Her Campus Tulane readers! Hope you all had a great winter break, spent some time with friends and family, and are well-rested and ready for the new semester. Over the break, some of my high school friends and I were reflecting on our first semester as freshmen in college. It’s no secret that the first semester of college is challenging, scary, exciting, and fun—basically a little bit of everything, no matter where you go to school. With that in mind, I thought I’d do something a little different than the usual “campus problems” article and let you guys in – especially those readers that might be freshmen next year – on some things we wish we knew before we started college.
It will most likely take you a while to make friends – and that’s okay! Try not to latch on to the first people you meet just out of convenience. You will find your friends and your place at Tulane. Just be yourself, and you will gravitate towards those that are like you. Groups of friends change fast, too. At the beginning, everyone’s still figuring out where they belong. Nothing is permanent, so try not to freak out if you feel a little lonely from time to time.
And another thing to remember, Facebook pictures can be deceiving. Especially over the first few weeks, everyone will be smiling their heads off on Facebook to show everyone what a great time they’re having at school. While there are definitely people who love school right off the bat, there are plenty of people who are having trouble adjusting and are putting on a fake smile just for the camera. But don’t worry; soon that smile will become genuine!
In high school, there were distinct cliques and differentiations between who was “cool” and who wasn’t. We’ve all seen Mean Girls. In college, you don’t need to know certain people to go out to a party. Everyone is invited. And if bar hopping or going to a frat party isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other people for you to hang out with. College is about bettering yourself – hang out with the people that make you happy and that you’re comfortable with. The only person that’s there to judge you is yourself.
Right before I started college, I thought that it was going to be a non-stop party. There’s definitely an image of college that everyone’s drinking all day, every day. And to be honest, it can be, if that’s what you’re after. But there’s way more to college than drinking and taking shots just because. And please, I’m begging you: know your limits before you get here. You don’t ever want to be “that girl.”
Get to know someone before you make a decision about them. I know this isn’t new advice to anyone, but you need to take it to heart in college. It’s so easy to ask a friend of a friend of a friend what a certain person you’re going to school with is like, but chances are, they’re far from how that person describes them. If you asked someone that I went to high school with what I was like, they’d most likely say “quiet.” My friends would laugh hysterically at that comment, though; I don’t shut up. The moral of the story is not to make judgments and put someone into a certain category before you even talk to them. College is the perfect time for everyone to start over, and many people do.
Last but not least, roommates. I think roommates are a huge concern for incoming freshmen, and understandably so. Luckily, my roommate and I get along really well, but I’ve heard of plenty of other people in less than desirable roommate situations.
The bottom line with roommates is that you need someone to respect you and your belongings, and you need to do the same in return. You definitely have to be willing to compromise. Everything else from there depends on you. Your roommate can be your best friend, an acquaintance, or simply someone you live with. If you both treat each other with respect, things will just work out just fine.
College isn’t some magical, fairytale place where you have great friends and a 4.0 GPA right off the bat. Things like that take time and effort, and they don’t just come to you. You really have to work for them. But I promise you, if you do, it will be such a rewarding experience.
If you have any questions, comments or requests for articles, feel free to post in the comment section below.