The first year of university is an exciting, daunting, and humbling experience. It can get lonely and feel overwhelming at times. To help you through it, here are nine things I wish I knew first year:
1. Everyone is just as clueless as you are
They may look like they have their lives together, but they’re just as confused as you are.
2. Join clubs
Clubs are an easy way to find like-minded people while taking a break from academics.
3. Go to the free events
They usually involve free food, which you will appreciate once you have to start cooking for yourself.
4. People don’t know you’re shy if you don’t let it show
From personal experience, pretending to be calm when talking to new people can diminish real anxiety over time. Fake it till you make it.
5. The Freshman Fifteen is very real
Regular exercise and a (mostly) healthy diet helps you stay in shape and de-stress.
6. Sitting front and center keeps you focused
It’s difficult to let your mind wander when you know the professor can see you, and you can’t see the 200 people behind you.
7. You don’t need to glue yourself to the first person you speak to in class
Just because the professor forces you to exchange contact information in the first lecture, doesn’t mean you need to become best friends. There are other people in your class. Feel free to talk to them as well.
8. Check out different sections in the first couple of weeks
Whether you’re comparing professors or deciding which elective to take, dropping in on the different sections can help you make that final decision.
9. First year doesn’t define the rest of your life
The decisions you make in first year regarding your choice of friends, courses, and degree program don’t set your “path” in stone. You can change your mind. Life happens.
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