I remember it like it was yesterday—signing my lease for my first apartment halfway through my freshman year and being so excited to be able to move in the next fall. Freshman year sucked. I didn’t have a car, I lived in a dorm, and I felt like a baby compared to all my friends. I would count down the days until I got to move out of my dorm and go home for the summer, only to return as a sophomore and better as ever.
Now, almost done with my sophomore year, I would give anything to go back to being a first semester freshman. When you’re not a freshman, you’re the one giving advice, you’re the one being held accountable for things, and your parents are actually expecting you to act like a responsible adult.
What I miss most about being a freshman is rolling out of bed 20 minutes before my class because HCB was a three-minute walk from my dorm. It was literally that easy. If I was hungry or needed some energy first, Starbucks was on the way to class. When I had a two-hour break between my first and second class, I could just stop by my dorm and take a nap, rather trying to waste time on campus so I didn’t have to drive back and forth again. We all know everyone’s worst nightmare is driving to campus.
Another perk of freshman year is having an excuse for everything you do wrong. Wears Hollister? Freshman. Is late to class? Freshman. Has no clean laundry? Freshman. Blacks out at the pregame? Freshman. Throws up in the Uber? Freshman. Well, there’s no good excuse for that one, but at least you can say, “Sorry I suck, I’m still a freshman.”
The best part of being a freshman can be summed up into two words: liberal studies. If you were lucky enough to not know your major so you packed your schedule with liberal studies classes, then you know what I mean. Those classes that have nothing to do with your major, especially if you’re in the STEM field, are the easiest classes you will ever take from this point on.
We all want to grow up so fast, and once we finally do we regret it. I still remember during fifth grade feeling like I couldn’t wait to go to middle school. I’m sure I’m not the only one who now wishes life was as easy as it was in fifth grade. If you’re a freshman, take these my words into consideration and don’t count down the days until it’s over like I did. If you’re not a freshman, then I think you will find that you agree with me on this one.