The first year of college is full of so many changes it can be overwhelming at times. But at the end of the day, your first year of college could be one of the most foundational years of someone’s life. This is a time where the majority of people move out for the first time. Even within the first few weeks of college, you make some lifelong friends. As much as I felt educated about going to college, I still wish I had some better knowledge about some things. I even wish someone would have told me that crying is way more acceptable in college. I have two older sisters who have both been to college, so when it came to different questions I always asked them.
Freshman 15
As much as no one wants to talk about the freshman 15. It is a real thing, and it is nothing to be ashamed of. I think the main thing a lot of people forget about being young is that we are not done growing and developing. We are still growing and changing every day. Gaining weight or losing weight does not make you a failure in any way, and if anyone was to shame you for freshman 15 that says a lot about them as a person. Sometimes different people are involved in sports all throughout high school and they are “forced” to work out every day because it is part of a routine, but in college, you are fully responsible for that all on your own. And I think that sometimes people are afraid of the gym because of the toxic environment there sometimes tends to be. Freshman 15 is normal, and you are beautiful in every stage that your body goes through.
roommates
Your roommate doesn’t have to be your bestie. This was a hard one for me. I truly believed that I was going to be best friends with my roommate. Expectations are the worst sometimes. Your college experience is not going to be like the movies. My roommate and I are friends, and we talk about pretty much everything together, but we aren’t best friends and that is okay! I think there is a lot of pressure put on people going into college when it comes to making friends. I’m an extrovert and I love meeting new people. Making friends wasn’t ever something I struggled with. After having a year of growing it has been really fun being able to come home to a friend who doesn’t already know everything about me. We get to share all the little things with each other and have celebrations about the small things that bring us joy. We’ve had the chance to grow together and get closer to one another, while also having time to grow independently. I also think not being very close made it easier to be roommates, there were no expectations other than not being too loud when the other was sleeping or remembering to take out the trash. We love getting to help each other pick our outfits and bonding over what coffee creamers are gross.
Be Involved
What they said about getting involved is true! If there’s anything I remember about the application process for college it is my high school guidance counselor telling me to get involved when I got to college. I honestly went in with the mindset that I wanted to chill out and not do anything because I was so involved in high school. But let me tell you that getting involved is probably one of the best things you can do in college. And I like to keep in mind that everyone is also in the same boat of having to meet new people, so I’m not alone in this awkward stage. I’m not telling you to join a team and three clubs and get a job. Know your limits and find something that can be an outlet for you on the days you hate your major! If it wasn’t for getting involved and putting myself out there, I would be so lonely, and I wouldn’t be writing this right now. Know your limits. Push yourself to meet new people. And get involved.
It’s okay to cry
Crying is not embarrassing. I don’t know about you, but I cry about everything. I cry when I’m happy. I cry when I’m sad. I cry when I’m mad. You name it and I’ve probably already cried about it. Sometimes people like to put this “tough guy” face on, and I’m guilty of it too, but it’s ok to cry. I cried every day during my first semester just because I was so overwhelmed with all the change, I didn’t know how to process my emotions. If you ever catch yourself crying in public, no one is going to question you. That is a great thing about college is that if you are crying in a public area and people see you, they don’t care because chances are they are going to cry later, or they already have. So, if you ever catch yourself needing to take a moment to yourself, promise me you won’t suppress your emotions and just let it out.
College is weird. I think about this a lot. One day I decided I was going to move away and study something that I eventually changed, and my mom just dropped me off and was ok with it? This time in our lives is so crucial and important. So, from someone trying to figure it out to another… We got this!