Your first year of university is one the scariest things you find yourself walking into. After completing my first semester of my first year I’d like to think of myself as a little wiser now than I was back in September. Here’s a list of the 5 most important things I learned.
1. Frosh week is a dangerous game
You’re arriving in a new place where no one knows you and you’re given this week to just let loose and have fun. Sounds fun right? Right. Welcome week, as we say here at UWindsor, is a great time filled with meeting TONS of new people. But beware Collegiettes™, for behind the all of the cute boys and the endless amount of parties is the simple fact that you still have to attend this school for at least the next few months, let alone years. If you live in residence you have to be EXTRA careful because you’ll have to see these people for the next two semesters. Just keep that in mind when you when you’re close to partying a little too hard. P.S Dirty Bingo is the most fun you will have that entire week.
2. Read
Read. Read. Read. Do your readings. Read. I cannot stress enough how hard it is to catch up on readings, but if I had to let’s just say I’d rather walk on a strip of knives while it was raining lemon juice than spend another night before midterms catching up on 4 chapters. As painful as it may be to read when it’s probably the last thing you want to do, it’s more painful to have to read multiple chapters while you still have other assignments to finish. Since we’re on the topic, make sure you pay attention and take note of your syllabus. Your professor isn’t going to talk about your readings until the day you’re discussing them or worse, after a pop quiz.
3. Manage your time
If you haven’t already found the ways of the planner then you probably should highly consider investing in one. You can get really cute ones at any major bookstore or office supplies store, but you can also find free ones in the CAW by the information desk (Hooray for free!). When you plan out and manage your time not only do you complete your assignments efficiently, but you also realize that you have time for social activities to keep you from going crazy. Properly managing your time is so important because it’s the tool to help you from falling behind in your work which you will regret 110% in the long run.
4. The importance of community
Ok, not that community. Being in residence has really opened my eyes about the whole “moral support” thing. The community atmosphere and the idea of living in a small space with a lot of people really brings everyone together. Residence is where you will meet most of your friends. These people will see each phase and flaw of your everyday fabulousness since their casa is su casa. And remember that whatever you do, dormcest and most importantly floorcest is a thing, and that thing should be avoided. You still have to see them every day.
5. How to take care of yourself (not completely, but just a little bit more)
University is where you start to take your first official steps of freedom. Here you have no one making sure that you eat healthy, you go to bed at a decent hour or that you’re careful when you go out with the girls. You’re now your own boss and it’s up to you kiddo. At first you’ll see the joys of ice cream for breakfast, going to bed when you please and staying out until the break of dawn. But after you gain the freshman 15 (which is no joke), you’re skipping classes to sleep and you can’t really remember Friday night you start to make smarter choices for yourself. Just remember that you make these choices by learning from your mistakes and that is all part of the process.
As for me, I’m still learning. I still have another semester of my first year and another semester of residence life. But from last semester I’ve learned how to manage my time and to start doing what I like to do rather than just what’s expected. I’ve learned that I completely over packed for my room and that I actually have to do my homework now. This semester I’ll probably learn 5 more things about university life.