13 Things I Learned Freshman Year
You need to save money if you are not making money.
The first semester I just blew through so much money on things I did not need. I was always ordering food instead of going to the dining hall or using my gull card. As well as always going off campus through uber (super expensive!) and buying unnecessary things like clothing or laptop stickers. This semester I really utilized my on campus options and cut back on buying things which has worked out great for me. When you aren’t making any money it can be really hard to save it, and you don’t want to have to keep asking your parents for money every weekend.
The friends from your first couple weeks might not be your friends at the end of the year.
Coming into college everyone is so eager to make friends right away so that they aren’t alone, but most times the friends you meet then aren’t going to be the ones you leave the year with. You are still trying to find yourself and your passions, and you probably want to find people who have similar interests and morals as you do. Things change and you’re exposed to new people everyday, so odds are your friend groups will vary until you’ve found ‘the ones’!
It’s okay to try new things on your own.
In high school, anytime I joined anything or tried something new I always had a friend or someone I knew involved in whatever I was joining because I grew up in a small town. It’s good to venture out and try new things. I joined her campus and it was such an amazing decision for me. I met a great group of girls and I get to write every week which I love! So take chances and find something to get involved in.
How to be independent & Do my own laundry (:
This was a major adjustment for me because I was so used to always having my parents there for me. Doing laundry was a huge step, which is sad, I know. But I do three loads a week now and my mom will be proud to know that. She’s actually probably thinking ‘it’s about time!’
How to TRULY study and manage time.
I don’t think I have ever really studied until college; I thought that I had studied but nothing compares to now. One night cramming does not cut it anymore. I remember we wrote a research paper every year and had a whole semester to do it and it was a huge deal. Now I feel like I write one every week and it’s always overlapping with another one I have to write for a separate class. Everything is just a much faster pace, and you have to keep up with it. Lets just say my planner is my best friend!
Being away from my family can be really difficult.
I knew it would be hard but I never thought about the times when I would truly want to be with them, want to be in my own bed, or have a home cooked meal. I think that I was very ready to leave and become independent; I didn’t want to have to ask my mom every time I wanted to do something. But now I’ve had times where I’ve been sad or sick and just want to be with my family so that can get really hard. I definitely appreciate them so much more today than my bratty high school self did.
How to be a good roommate.
I went from having my own room at home to sharing one room with three other girls, and let me tell you that was NOT easy. There were a lot of problems in the beginning and nobody was used to living in a room with someone who had a completely different schedule or lifestyle as them. I can be a neat freak sometimes so I had to get used to looking across the room and seeing an unmade bed or clothes everywhere. We all had to learn to compromise, respect each others ways, and try our best to communicate in a efficient way. It was a process but everything worked out how it was supposed to in the end.
How to stress manage (might be more important than time!).
I’ve talked about self care and self love on numerous articles but it is just so crucial! It can’t just be all work all the time because you’re going to go crazy. Take time for yourself and have a little study break with your friends. Maybe even grab a coffee or smoothie, whatever you’re feeling. I personally like to go on runs and hit the beach to just relax and listen to the waves when I am stressed.
How to network.
We are constantly surrounded by people in the workforce, so it’s always a good thing to get to know your faculty and say hello to everyone. They can be your potential future connections. This is also the time to find lots of internships and build up your resume for when you’re out of college and heading into the real world. One of those internships might even hire you before you graduate. Always be thinking about the future and working on improving your resume.
How much I love my hometown.
Although I used to always complain about how boring my town was, once I left I started to miss a lot of little things. I think my friends and I went to The Morning Buzz once or twice a week and I feel like I definitely went through some withdrawals. Oh and Hodgies Ice-Cream don’t even get me started! Just simple things like that I really missed. But also my friends because I have had the same group of friends for as long as I can remember and leaving them was extremely hard for me. I’m very excited to see them in a couple weeks!
That it is okay to stay in if you want to!
There is definitely a lot of pressure to go out sometimes, especially when you’re looking at snapchats of everyone partying but it’s really okay to stay in sometimes. If you don’t want to drink, then don’t drink. Sometimes you just want a chill night to yourself with some Netflix and snacks or you have a lot of homework to catch up on and that’s totally fine. Do what you have to do and don’t let anyone pressure you. It’s nice to have a balance!
Take advantage of free events and food.
I mean when else in our lives are we going to have so much access to free events and food? My school hands out free Endicott gear as well if you go to sports games. That is awesome, so I highly recommend taking advantage of it.
You should research teachers and courses before choosing them.
What I have realized is that what I am learning now, is what I will actually be using in my future career. This isn’t irrelevant classes from high school anymore. We are paying for this education and need to fully embrace all the knowledge we can. You don’t want bullshit classes or teachers who don’t care, so do a little research and choose wisely because you have a great opportunity to learn.