Your freshman year of college can be a pretty intimidating time. Being back at school as a sophomore, here are some of the lessons I took away from my first year:
1. Learn to expect the unexpected
Unless you can read into the future, college most likely won’t go according to plan. You will experience hiccups, especially during your freshman year. It can be easy to go on social media and compare your experience to others, but keep in mind that things aren’t always what they seem and everyone struggles in college at some point.
2. “Get Involved”
This is probably the most cliché thing a college freshman can be told, but it’s true. It’s just that what you aren’t told is not to just sign up and join things for the sake of doing so. Getting involved on campus should be a stress reliever, not a stress enhancer. Just make sure that the way you’re spending your time is productive in the sense you aren’t spending it doing something you don’t enjoy.
3. “Besties for the resties”
If it turns out the first friend you make in college is your best friend for life then…lucky you. Most of the time, this does not occur and finding people you click with may take time. In my own experience, I latched onto girls that ended up treating me poorly. I thought they were my friends, when in reality, I should’ve spent my time engaging with genuine people. Don’t keep all your cards in one pile; be open to all sorts of friendships.
4. Going out?
Yes, going out is fun. But too often, it can lead to a bad start to your overall GPA and a failure to keep your priorities in check. You have four years to go out and then the rest of your life after college. It’s okay to stay in and watch a movie sometimes. Don’t overdo it, sis.