1. A half hour is what you make of it.
As college students, we know our way around Netflix. We need our social media breaks. While sometimes these things are necessary to unwind, it’s important to be aware that technology eats up our time easily. It’s likely you can get a good portion of a paper or a few math problems solved in that same time span. This is the better alternative to realizing you’ve been watching “cute Harry Styles moments” videos for three hours, and it just so happens to be three in the morning.
2. The boys are still immature.
I was unfortunately under the impression that once I got to college, I might be able to find a guy who had grown up past high school. Maybe I haven’t looked in the right places, but up until this point, I’ve only met guys who like to get wasted every weekend or who don’t know how to be respectful towards women. I don’t mean to reduce the good guys by any means, I’m just saying some of them still have some growing up to do.
3. Get to know the places you can get a good cup of coffee.
Us University of Iowans are lucky for the abundance of choices we have: Starbucks, Java House, High Grounds, Fair Grounds, T.Spoons and even the various C-stores located around campus! Sometimes you will need that pick-me-up, and knowing places for good coffee will make that process much easier.
4. Taking initiative is key.
As college students, this is the first time that most of us will be responsible for ourselves. You will need to drag yourself to get a haircut or to pay for that parking ticket. And if you want a job or to be recognized within your job, you’re going to have to go out and do it yourself!
5. Buy a portable charger pack for your phone.
There will be cases in which this saves your life. They’re great for football games or concerts (can’t miss those photo ops!) or when you don’t get the chance to go back to your dorm or apartment between classes.
6. No one cares as much as you think they do.
This is not regarding your friends and other people you care about, but the strangers. If you want to wear a huge fluffy hat with ear flaps, do it. You might even make new friends with those who appreciate huge fluffy hats with ear flaps. If you drop your waffle in the middle of the dining hall (yeah, this happened to me freshman year), it might be really embarrassing to begin with, but you’ll remake your waffle, and everyone will have forgotten by the end of the day.
7. Bring Tupperware and baggies to the dining hall (even though they tell you not to).
You are paying good money for that food! If you don’t have access to a car or close grocery store, it’s nice to have fresh produce or cooked food that isn’t made in a microwave.
8. Living with a roommate will be one of the most challenging things, but it will teach you so much.
Both of my roommate experiences have not been the best, but I’ve learned how to be patient with people who I might not otherwise be friends with. I’ve also learned how to have mature conversations when things are not working out. Through those conversations, I’ve become more conscious of my bad habits and been able to vocalize my annoyances in a gracious manner.
9. With that being said, communication is the most important component of any relationship.
While my rooming experiences have been challenging, this past year (along with three other roommates that I have had the most issues with) I roomed with one of my best friends. It’s been one of my favorite parts of the year, but we’ve also had our riffs that wouldn’t have been resolved if we hadn’t talked about them. The bitterness and resentment can build up when there are issues the other person is not even aware of. Bringing those things up and talking honestly will help by leaps and bounds.
10. It’s never a bad idea to make a friend in every class.
Not all classes are mandatory, so the temptation is real to just not show up. If you make a friend, they can catch you up to speed on the important notes you missed, and you can do the same for her! This is super-beneficial for classes with clicker questions, so your friend can fulfill your class participation for you on a “sick day.”
11. It’s important to stand firm in what you want to do.
If on a Saturday you know you’d much rather stay in eating ice cream and watching “New Girl” than going to Summit for the fifth weekend in a row, do it. Even if your friends call you a killjoy. On a bigger scale, if you want to be a dance major when everyone says it’s leading you nowhere, do it. The only person you’re living to please is yourself, and if you won’t be happy as a business major, it’s not worth it.
12. You will have bad days, but you will have a lot of good, too.
I think that no matter how old I get, the first few weeks of the school year and those when I come back from a weekend at home will always be rough. I don’t like leaving my family and friends and my home. Those have been some of the more challenging days in my college career where all I want is to curl up on my memory foam mattress pad and watch “Friends.” But there have been other oh-so-good days. Those are the days when the weather just starts to get a little bit nicer, and everyone is lying out on the Pentacrest, underneath the blossoming trees. Those are the days when you decide to make banana muffins with your froomie instead of studying and jam out to the same song over and over again because it’s so good. Those are the days when you laugh so hard you forget how to breathe and are convinced you have a six-pack. Those are the days when you are so thankful to have ended up where you’re meant to be.