This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Geneseo chapter.
My senior year is coming to an end and I am honestly so excited about the new opportunities I will have in the very near future! I want to share some of my thoughts with all of you on undergraduate life.
Here are some things I wish people told me early on in college.
- Friends will come and go, and that’s okay! You should befriend multitudes of people and try not to only have one or two groups of friends. Individual friendships are so important for one’s college experience. You never know if a group might not work out, so having other people to see and spend time with outside of a big group makes you have more options for friends.
- Make sure you get to know professors! This will help you so much with future references and also simply having faculty and professors to talk to can make you feel more comfortable in college. I’ve met faculty such as librarians that have been a huge part of my college experience. Having someone else besides friends and family be there for you is a great thing that all should have in college.
- Living off-campus is amazing! If you don’t have to stay on campus, move off-campus! Living on a main street near restaurants, bars, and cute shops is so convenient. You can walk outside to so many places and always be a prime location for friends to hang out!
- Grades are important but not worth being extremely anxious about. Some assignments are worth more than others, so try and work on those but overall one grade will not make or break you. It’ll be okay if you get a bad grade or even a few. I’m in no way encouraging it, but I just don’t think people need to view a bad grade as the end of the world. Try to do well, but make sure in addition to prioritizing your schoolwork, prioritize your own well-being and mental health.
- Take a lot of pictures and enjoy all your college experience has to offer! Whether it’s beautiful sunsets, a gazebo view, or a delicious and cute coffee shop nearby, there is so much to experience. Try to make a bucket list of things to do before you graduate and enjoy your time! Take some Snapchat pictures “for the mems” and live your best life at college! You will want to remember these moments in the future. Most importantly, have fun!
College is an amazing experience. Do not take it for granted as cliche as that may sound; it will be an amazing moment and opportunity in your life. Embrace the ups and downs and experience college to the fullest.
Sincerely,
Soon-to-be SUNY Geneseo Graduate and future MSW student at Columbia,
Dara Scolnick