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16 Things I Would Tell My Freshman Self

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Beth Mahoney and Melissa Reohr Student Contributor, Bentley University
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Kathryn Burgner Student Contributor, Bentley University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bentley chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

As seniors, we feel as though we’ve gone through a lot during our four years. Together, we created this list of 16 things that we would want to go back in time to tell our freshman-self. Luckily, this could be you! Even if you are not an incoming freshman, you can still learn from this advice. Take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way because our four years at Bentley have gone by WAY too quickly.
 
1.    Get out of bed and do something. ANYTHING. You have so much free time as a freshman, so go join a club or hit the gym. The “freshman 15” is real and it sneaks up on you!
2.    Take a non-business class (or two). You think you know what you want to do, but until you take that Law or Media Culture class, you never really know!
3.    Enjoy some sun on the Greenspace whenever you can.
4.    Be adventurous with your weekends. I know you loved that frat last weekend, but check out another one or something totally different next time. It’s always fun to meet new people.
5.    Make your own Halloween costume. It’s fun to be creative with your friends and you’ll enjoy saving $40 on something you’ll never wear again!
6.    Remember that your roommate only lasts for 8 months. So, don’t stress if you don’t get along.
7.    It’s good to join a bunch of clubs at first, but pick the one or two that you really like and get very involved.
8.    Make a scrapbook or mix CD at the end of the year. College flies by and these keepsakes will be great to have when you’re getting ready to graduate.
9.    Research events around the Boston area and just go! Boston has a great culture and tons of activities to offer, so just take that quick shuttle into Harvard Square for some adventures.
10.Try not to get into the habit of snacking at Yella’s/Mein Bowl every single night. Snacking can get out of control, especially when you’re studying or doing a group project late at night—resist the urge!
11.The gym isn’t as far away as you think. Try making gym dates with a friend to motivate the both of you to walk ALL THE WAY down to the Dana Center.
12.Go to Bentley sports games! Even though we don’t have as much school spirit as those HUGE universities, we can still support our teams! Take a few hours out of your Saturday to watch some of the sports teams play.

13.Go to the Career Fair your freshman year. It really isn’t scary at all—PLUS employers love when younger students go up to talk to them. It really shows initiative.
14.Don’t feel obligated to go out every night just because your friends are. This is a trap for most freshmen because you have a fear of missing out. If you don’t want to go out, you don’t have to!
15.On that note, don’t let your school work keep you in for too many nights. Maximize your time during the day in order to get all of your work done in a timely fashion. If you keep procrastinating your work, then you’ll have less time for fun!
16.Pull an all-nighter in the Library during finals week. Since the library is open 24-hours during finals week, take advantage of it!
 
 
What do you wish you could tell the younger version of yourself?
 
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Kathryn Burgner is a member of the class of 2013 at Bentley University and is majoring in Information Design & Corporate Communications, with minors in Marketing and Gender Studies. Kathryn is so excited to be a part of the Her Campus team and be the founder of Her Campus Bentley! Kathryn loves going to school near Boston, but she also loves her hometown of Dalton, MA, where she grew up in the Berkshires on a turkey farm. Kathryn loves singing, acting, dancing ballet, baking, & playing volleyball, and is interested in gender issues, fashion, and health & fitness. She is a founding member of the Masters of Bentley Acappella (MBAs) and enjoys being involved with the Women's Center at Bentley, Alpha Psi Omega Honorary Theatre Society, and Resident Assistance at Bentley. Kathryn aspires to work as an editor, social media professional, or marketing design professional in Boston, MA after her experiences at Bentley! Kathryn would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support towards all of her experiences and dreams.