1) The Freshman Fifteen is real.
For me, this was more like the Freshmen Forty. The unlimited dining plan that UA makes all freshmen get makes it a little too easy to pack on the pounds. (I can’t tell you how many slices of pizza I snuck out of Lakeside for a late night snack.) Don’t feel bad; the University Rec is only a bus ride away! And the salad bars are always a welcome relief after a weekend of binge-eating.
2) If you need a mental health day, you can take one.
College can be stressful for everyone. Some days are good…others, not so much. Recognize when you’re not doing well mentally, and don’t be afraid to take a day off to reset. Call a friend from home, watch a movie from your childhood. Do something that feels safe and comfortable so you can attack tomorrow with a clear head. If you feel that you need professional help, UA offers help through their Counseling Center.
3) Drama should stay in high school.
High school is full of unnecessary stressors, one of which can be friend-caused drama. You’re often around the same people everyday and you may be forced to interact with someone you butt heads with on the daily. The college atmosphere is decidedly more drama-free. If you find yourself in the midst of a toxic friend group, you owe it to yourself to remove yourself. College is full of people just like you, so if you don’t feel like you’ve found your tribe, keep looking. Just because you’re in the same sorority, or the same class, or you even live in the same room, it doesn’t mean your well-being should suffer.
4) Everyone gets homesick.
It comes in degrees, but when it happens, you’ll know it. Remember your friends and your parents are often just a phone call away. UA’s breaks are spaced out throughout the semester, so if you want to go home instead of hitting the beach for spring break, you can! For me, it hit harder in spring semester, but I know some girls that had a tough first week in the fall. This is probably your first time really away from home, so go easy on yourself.
5) You should be checking your e-mail at least once a day.
I check my e-mail probably every hour. I’m obsessed. Professors will e-mail you to cancel class, group projects are 100% easier if everyone is good at communicating, and UA will always email you with important safety updates. There are countless other reasons to check your email, so have the app on your phone and just check it in your downtime. Bonus tip: always be professional when responding. It doesn’t matter if your prof still has their “Sent from my iPhone” below their signature, always be professional and straightforward in your messages.
6) Keeping in touch with your favorite professors will help you down the road.
Good professors will let you know about internships or contests that you’re eligible for, and are always willing to be a reference when it comes time to apply to jobs. Most college professors genuinely care about their students’ success, especially in smaller classes. If you have a professor you really admire, pop in on their office hours or send them a quick email if you’re going to be late to class. They appreciate when students put in the extra effort; it’s only going to boost your education experience in the end.
7) Asking for a little help goes a long way.
College is hard! If it was easy, there wouldn’t be so many memes about it. If you’re struggling in a class, find a tutor (some classes have free tutors through the Center for Academic Success). If you feel a little out of sorts, get lunch with a friend or get some sun on the Quad between classes. Your friends and professors are there for you, and want you to succeed! If you need a little bit of help, no one will blame you if you reach out.
8) You should enjoy your classes/work.
Your classes are geared towards your major/career track. This is something you’ll probably be doing for the rest of your life! It’s one thing if your classes are challenging, but it’s another if you can’t even bear to get out of bed to go to that Bio Lab once a week. If it’s not the professor or the people in the class or just the 8 AM time slot that you don’t enjoy, it may be the material itself. Just as it’s perfectly fine to come into college undecided, it’s just as okay to shop around even after you think you’ve locked into a major.
9) It’s alright to go out during the week…
You’re only young once. Eventually you will grow to hate the smell of Svedka and Fireball. But in the meantime, take advantage of your late classes on Friday morning and go ahead and enjoy that date party on Thursday night. Just be sure to drink lots of water and take some ibuprofen before you konk out in your face paint and fanny pack.
10) …and you don’t have to feel bad for staying in on the weekends.
Just because it’s Saturday night, it doesn’t mean you have to hit up the bars. You’ll save some cash by not paying high weekend-priced cover, and you won’t waste a Sunday in bed with a hangover. Use your night in to catch up on some homework or your favorite TV show (that you can record using Philo from UA, get more info here!)
11) Be very aware of where you park.
Colleges are notorious for their strict parking regulations and high-priced tickets and parking passes. UA is no different. Spend the money for a parking pass (a tow or even a few tickets is way more expensive than just biting the bullet and getting the parking pass), but know that your parking pass won’t protect you from parking in the wrong lot. I’ve personally received three parking tickets from parking in a rush and not checking out my surroundings, and no amount of tears or wheedling got me out of them. Save yourself now and be ultra conscious about where you’re leaving your car.
12) People enjoy receiving letters (especially grandparents!)
Writing letters is a fun, cheap way to stay in touch. Send grandma a postcard from the SupeStore, or start a letter correspondence with your BFF who goes to a different school. You’ll probably get a few little notes in return, so you should go ahead and get a mailbox from the Ferg to be sure they get to you. It’s a good way to brighten someone’s day, and they’ll cherish your letters forever.
13) You’re not going to get along with everyone.
This is less a fact of college and more a fact of life. Even though your kindergarten teachers may have stressed how important it is to get along and make friends with everyone, there are just some people who plain won’t like you, and vice versa. If you have to deal with them, take the high road and be cordial. But if not, don’t worry about them. Don’t lose sleep because you’re not everyone’s cup of tea: you’re going to find plenty of people who think you’re perfect in every way.
14) Leave your headphones at home on your walk to class some days.
Don’t get me wrong, listening to some Ellie Goulding on the way to my 8 AM was a great way to get me pumped up for an otherwise monotone morning. But for my afternoon classes, I’d often leave the headphones at home for my short walk through the Quad to class. I was more aware of my surroundings and was able to enjoy a nice day even more. On a bright day, I was able to listen to the birds and watch the squirrels and clouds while I walked to class, which was a serious mood-booster.
15) Plans change.
The person you are now will not be the same person you become in four years. Which means that your goals might change. Plans that seem ironclad could go up in dust at a moment’s notice. If your best friend doesn’t go to the same college as you, if you don’t get that internship you were sure you were going to snag, take the time to mourn what could have been, but then shake it off. Distance won’t break up a true blue friendship. Internships are a dime a dozen, and just because you weren’t picked for one doesn’t mean that the others you applied for will pass you over. The sooner you adapt yourself to whatever crops up, the sooner you’ll learn to enjoy the uncertain. There’s a lot of time between now and your graduation, so make the most of it.