I remember being a freshman listening to upperclassmen say “when I was a freshman…” and thinking to myself: Wow, someday I will have been here long enough to get to say that. It seemed so cool to be an upperclassman and to already know the ins and outs of campus. I couldn’t wait until I was one of those cool upperclassmen who knew everything. Now that I’m finishing my junior year, I wish I could take time back to freshman year. There are some things that we all took for granted. If you’re a freshman now, cherish these moments!
1. Short walks to class
Long gone are the days you could wake up 10 minutes before class started. Now, you have to leave your off-campus place 30 minutes before class begins just so you’re not late… and who are you kidding, you’re always late.
2. A dining plan
As a freshman, you hated the dining plan by the end of the year. Now, you find yourself thirsty AF begging for a freshman to swipe you into one of the wackest eateries on campus just because you’re desperate.
3. There were always plans to make
Freshman year you got so many texts about plans that you wished you hadn’t joined a group chat. Now, you’re lucky if your friends even have time to get lunch with you.
4. Friends are a few doors away
Living in a dorm on campus was great for meeting new people. You met all those people and they were all in the same building. All you had to do was put on your slippers and knock on their doors. Now, you have to plan a whole event a month in advance to coordinate with them.
5. You can pull the freshman card
You low-key want to wear that free t-shirt you just got on campus but know you can’t because “only freshman wear free t-shirts” around town. And about that frat party you were at where you were dancing on the countertops, fell and bruised your tailbone for the rest of college? Who cares? You were a freshman.
6. Laying in bed all day
These are the fondest and most intimate memories you can have: cuddling in bed all day alone, eating junk and binge watching Netflix.
7. Free time
Where has it gone? There isn’t enough of it nowadays. Sometimes you would get so bored trapped in your dorm room, now you wish you could have all that free time back.
8. No job
For most folks, freshman year is an experimental year to focus on getting used to school before having a job at the same time. You were pretty much always free and able to make it to plenty of functions.
9. New experiences
You came wide-eyed and were excited about trying everything — now you’re tired of all this BS. No, I don’t wanna sign up for your club. No, I don’t want to buy a store bought a cookie from your bake sale. No, I don’t want to split a bottle of Burnett’s.
10. Not having to pay bills
You realize now that not everything is “all inclusive” like your dorm was. Rent, water, sewage, trash, internet and cable? All separate bills. Plus, after freshman year your parents will probably expect you to step up a little more.