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KU | Life

What I Wish I Knew My Freshman Year of College

Ivana Popova Student Contributor, The University of Kansas
KU Contributor Student Contributor, The University of Kansas
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at KU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Starting college comes with a whirlwind of emotions. As a freshman, you are battling being homesick with some newfound independance. Your first year will offer the best of times and the worst of times. No doubt about it, the year is going to be wild and crazy fun, but, at times emotionally draining. After (somehow) surviving freshman year of college, I have compiled a list of things I wish I would have known going into it for some extra guidance. Here’s to surviving freshman year! 

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You are not going to make best friends the first day. This was hard for me to accept. Leaving some important best friends I could always count on back home, I selfishly thought I would meet my new bff’s the first day I stepped foot on campus. Wrong. Friendships take time to form. Keep putting yourself out there, I promise you’ll get to that bestie level eventually! It just won’t be right away, which is okay! 

Always go out in a bigger group of people. You’ll quickly learn that you lose people at parties. Someone is hooking up with a guy they talked to for 10 minutes previously, someone is sitting in a random corner wishing they hadn’t downed that extra drink they definitely did not need, and yet others have entirely left the party to go somewhere else. Going out in a bigger group prevents you from being left all alone. Also: even if you lose your friends, try to make sure everyone is safe!

Stay active to avoid the Freshman 15. You may think the Freshman 15 is a phenomenon, but it is very hard not to fall victim to it. Going out 5 days a week, drinking all sorts of mixed drinks, then ending the night with a very necessary slice (or 2..or okay fine maybe 3) of pizza, will not be the best combination. Try to stay active in some sort of way (even just by walking to class) to combat this!

You may be used to getting all A’s, but that one bad grade won’t kill you. If you’re like me, a bad grade can seem like the end of the world. College, however, is a major reality check. Some classes are not going to be your cup of tea and as hard as you try, getting a good grade isn’t always going to be possible. Use your resources, go to office hours, and study hard; but at the end of the day, if you’re stuck with a few low grades don’t worry, you will still graduate. An employer is not going to turn you away just because you don’t have a 4.0, so don’t lose sleep over it. 

Don’t buy all your books from the bookstore. There is always going to be that annoying professor that requires you to get the exact textbook from your school’s bookstore. However, there are classes that do not require that, and finding cheaper options is not hard at all. Amazon or any used bookstore will have the book you are looking for at a significantly cheaper price. 

Everyone is faking it (at least a little)! You are not the only one who is a little scared, confused, or lonely. Change takes time and things do get better. It may seem like everyone is living their best lives but adjusting to college life is not easy and everyone has problems they aren’t showing. 

All nighters are NEVER a good idea. You would think after the first one I would have learned, but nope, not at all. Practice good time management skills and try to not procrastinate. Your body will thank you later because, trust me, I suffered. 

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Your new favorite word should be YES. Say yes to everything. There are so many activities to get involved in, ways to meet new people, and socializing opportunities. Say yes to going to that club meeting that sounds even somewhat interesting. Say yes to getting margs with a new group of girls, even if it’s a Tuesday night (that is, if you have everything school-related done because ~priorities~). Say yes to that date a random boy asked you out on. Say yes to that weekend trip to visit another college for gameday. College is all about “firsts” and experiencing new things. The more you put yourself out there, the more you’ll get out of it.

It’s okay to make mistakes. Its college and naturally, you are going to have some regrets. You might regret shacking at a frat and having to do the walk of shame the next morning. You might regret spending a little too much money on shitty drinks at a shitty bar. And you definitely may regret drinking all those shitty drinks when you’re nursing your hangover in a 9 a.m. lecture the following day. But these are the years to be independent and find out more about yourself; all these experiences will help shape you. Not to mention, they make for some good ass stories (if you remember any of them *wink*). 

Ivana Popova

KU '22

Freshman at the University of Kansas
KU Contributor

KU '22

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