As I settle into winter break, I find myself looking back at this time last year. If I could go back and tell myself that I actually went to Mizzou, I’d probably either laugh or be very confused. While it was never my first plan, I’m very happy to have started my path here at Mizzou and gained many new opportunities. I even learned how to deal with all the quirks that come along with starting college. The sections provided below were some of the biggest issues I ran into starting college. So, if you’re feeling anxious, I have some stories to share with you.
RUSH
Once I had decided I was going to Mizzou my senior year, Greek life was another thing I had to think about. My parents didn’t participate, so I really didn’t think it was the plan for me. Although after I heard all my friends talking about it, I thought I should give it a go. The whole experience is very overwhelming, and it’ll most likely be very hot as well. You’ll meet lots of new people, and while I didn’t stay friends with any of the girls I talked to during rush, many still smile at me if we pass each other. Another thing about rush is don’t get too upset right off the bat. One thing I didn’t understand is that so many houses can drop you just off the video, so keep an open mind when opening your rush schedules. Then also keep an open mind when you get placed in your house. I know so many girls who didn’t get their first choice and wanted to drop right away. Now, all of them love their houses and are finding their place, so it’s important to give each house a try, even if it’s not the house you expected. I have made such a wonderful group of friends in my sorority and I don’t know what I would do without them. So my biggest rush advice overall is just keep an open mind!
ROOMMATES
Before starting college, I knew sharing a room wasn’t something I was going to love. I’ve always been very extroverted, but in high school, I always craved alone time in my room. It might be awkward at first, but trust me, sharing a room gets easier after a while — especially if you’re not best friends with your roommate, which has been my experience. The easiest thing I’ve found is to make sure you keep your side clean and be respectful of each other’s things. Also don’t apologize so much for taking up space, as it’s just as much their room as it is yours. And if one day your roommate walks in on you lip syncing in the mirror and is laughing so hard she’s wheezing on her bed, it’s OK!
SCHOOLWORK
Coming to college, I didn’t think this would be too big of a struggle. The high school I went to was very big on academics and involvement, so I felt very prepared coming to college. The only thing that threw me off was having so much time in between classes. If I were just sitting in my dorm during the day, I felt very unproductive. If you’re someone who likes to stay busy, one of my biggest recommendations is to develop a routine. Based on my schedule, I developed a routine where I would carve out a chunk of my day to just get work done. Then maybe I’d go to the gym or go see my friends. Walking back to my dorm late in the afternoon with all my work done always made me feel better than cramming it in at 10 p.m. at my desk. I’ve found that Memorial Union is my favorite spot to get work done, as all the windows make it feel very cozy, and there’s so many snack options. Another thing I’ve discovered about schoolwork in college is as long as you go to class, you will be successful. I’ve never been one to skip class, although so many of my friends have and I can visibly see their stress level diminish when they start going to class. Going to class just helps you better understand the content. Developing a routine and going to class are 100% the best advice I could give regarding college class work.
COMMUNAL BATHROOMS
Communal bathrooms were one of my biggest fears coming to college, and honestly is still one of my biggest fears. Now I’ve gotten used to having to wear shower shoes and walking down the hall in a towel, but you have to be prepared for the bathrooms to almost never be clean. You would think the girls’ bathroom would be kept very clean, and you would be very wrong. The first time I went into my floor’s communal bathroom, there was a cockroach in one of the showers. It took almost a week for someone to finally have the courage to get rid of it. There will also constantly be hair everywhere. So many girls on my floor just leave their hair all over the shower wall, so be prepared when pulling back the shower curtain! My biggest advice when it comes to communal bathrooms is just get what you need to get done as quickly as possible and don’t leave your own mess.
SLEEP
This is an area that I still need to work on. Sleep in college is so important, yet you’d be surprised how easy it is to skip out on those crucial eight hours. It was very common that I’d spend my day going to class, getting work done, doing something for my sorority and then finally I’d get to hangout with my friends. This would leave me going to bed at 2 a.m. almost every night for the first couple of months, and this was very bad for me. In high school, I relied on energy drinks to get me through my days, but I knew that wasn’t going to work in college. Getting enough sleep during college is one of my biggest pieces of advice as a whole. Even taking a nap is great, because in college, you will always be tired.
HOMESICKNESS/VISITING HOME
The first couple of months at Mizzou left me so homesick. I never really expected this to be too big of an issue for me as in high school I’d go on trips and never want to leave. Now, going home is the trip I never want to leave. I’m from Leawood, Kansas, so I’m only two hours away, but it felt like I was a million miles away. This is something I feel like I can’t give the best advice on because, for me, it just slowly went away as the semester progressed. One thing that helped was calling my parents. Please call your parents. They miss you so much, even if they don’t want to admit it. My parents love hearing all my stories, and they want to feel involved in my life. So please call your parents a lot, they love it. Another thing that was hard for me was seeing my friends all together when I’m one of my only friends who came to Mizzou. Being from Kansas, the most popular place to go to college is the University of Kansas, and almost everyone from my high school went there. It was really hard at first seeing them all together all the time, and I was worried I was going to be left out once I got back. Although that’s far from the truth. Every time I come home, everyone is waiting to see me, and they want me to come see them. If you’re in a similar situation, I say go visit them! People love having the chance to show off their schools, and I know it’s KU but it’s always a blast every time I go home. As for your hometown, visit when you have the chance but not too often towards the beginning of the year. I knew personally, since I was struggling so much with homesickness, that if I went home too much I wouldn’t want to come back. I recommend not going home too much till you have found your place at school, you’ll find that having your place at school and home will make you feel so much better.
Completing my first semester at Mizzou — though it was not always smooth sailing — has been a blast. I’ve never felt surrounded by so much love. Everyone here is so friendly and the professors are amazing. I genuinely enjoy going to class and completing work compared to how I was in high school. The campus here is also so beautiful; I’m so glad that I chose Mizzou. So, if you’re on the fence about going to Mizzou or just want an honest review about college life, I hope this puts things into perspective.