Oh, what a semester it has been. A new place, new friends and new classes bring a lot of new knowledge with them, both good and bad. After one semester in college there a lot of things to go over and tons of myths to finish off. Of course, while writing this article I am also avoiding writing a literary analysis paper… that’s how college works, sadly.
The biggest myth that I have to expose first off is the “freshman 15.” While it does exist, it only is an issue if you deliberately throw out any dietary tips your parents taught you, such as “no pizza after midnight” and that “Goldfish, Snickers and Ramen don’t count as one meal” and then additionally avoid the gym. That is a fast track to weight gain for sure. Don’t fear the freshman 15 too much; just be conscious of what you’re putting in your body.
Speaking of tips from your parents, start to appreciate them a lot more before leaving for college. As cliche as it is, you’ll miss your parents a lot more once you’re hours away and have to do your own laundry, wash your dishes by hand and don’t have the luxury of home-cooked meal. The best feeling was being able to go home for a weekend and not worry about laundry or food and realizing your high school self was such a brat for not being as appreciative.
And in addition to being appreciative of your parents, appreciate yourself. College is the time of your life to be selfish; you can do what you want and be yourself. College isn’t an extension of your high school years, and it shouldn’t be. These four years are meant for you to experiment and try out things you never thought to before. After graduating high school, I started a blog and joined random clubs, anything to find my niche. No one is telling you who or what you have to be. You can choose your friends and activities, and that is something to take full advantage of.
Moving on to grades, don’t discourage yourself too much. Getting a bad grade on the first test happens to everyone, and it doesn’t define your entire semester. Put your best work forward and find a study method that works for you. Mine is laptop notes and Quizlets, but for others it could be notes-by-hand or study groups. Everyone has a different preference. It’s also important to note that grades aren’t your life. While they are important and sometimes take precedence over social events, don’t use them as an excuse to not step out of your comfort zone.
Finally, my last piece of knowledge I’ve gained from my first semester is to be present. Enjoy what you have in front of you before you realize you’re wishing away one of the best times of your life. Go out to lunch with your new roomies, study with new people, even go out with a new group! Who knows? The most random person could end up becoming a lifelong best friend.
In looking forward to next semester, I’m beyond excited for the new year and especially for my new schedule. Never, I repeat, NEVER schedule four classes back-to-back on a Friday. Take it from me, you do not want to make that mistake. For this upcoming semester, I have a few goals in mind, including a new workout schedule (always have a workout buddy to go to the gym with and hold you accountable), less eating out and no do-nothing days. Do-nothing days are days when you do absolutely nothing to better your future self, and they shouldn’t exist. My goal for next semester is to do at least one thing per day that is productive, even if it’s painting my nails so that I stop worrying about them. I encourage everyone to keep this goal in mind moving into the second semester of this year (and of my college career!).
One semester down, seven more to go. Happy relaxing over break, collegiettes, and good luck with semester number two of the year!