If I could sit down with my freshman-year self, coffee in hand, and give her a little glimpse into the next few years, I think I would have a lot to say.
College goes by faster than you think. Between classes, work, friendships, relationships, internships, and trying to figure out who you even are, it is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to take care of yourself or make the most of the experience.
Looking back, there are five things I wish I had understood from the very beginning.
1. Move Your Body in College
I wish I had realized sooner just how much physical movement affects my mental health.
Exercise is not just about changing your body or avoiding the infamous “Freshman 15” that everyone warns you about. Moving your body is one of the best ways to clear your head, release stress, and give yourself a mental reset when college is feeling overwhelming.
And honestly, starting good habits early is never a bad idea. Your body goes through so many changes in your late teens and early twenties, and finding movement that you actually enjoy can make such a difference.
That does not mean you need to become a gym rat overnight. Strength training, yoga, running, walking, tennis, pickleball, boxing, soccer, or volleyball all count. There are recreational sports and fitness opportunities everywhere, both on campus and throughout your city.
Find something you genuinely enjoy doing and make it part of your routine. Some days, that might mean an intense workout. Other days, it might mean taking a long walk while listening to your favorite playlist.
The goal is not punishment. It is taking care of yourself.
2. Protect Your Sleep Schedule
This is probably one of the biggest things I wish I had taken seriously as a freshman.
When I started college, I was also working at Starbucks, which meant my schedule was anything but consistent. One day I would be waking up at 3 a.m. to open the store, and then closing the store at 11 p.m. a couple of days later.
Needless to say, my sleep schedule was a mess.
As college students, it is so easy to treat sleep like the first thing we can sacrifice when our schedules get busy. There is always another assignment, another shift, another night out, or another episode to watch.
But your body needs consistency. If you can, try to go to sleep and wake up around the same time every day, or at least within a relatively consistent window. Aim for around eight hours of sleep whenever possible. Your body needs that time for recovery, immune function, and mental clarity, and your brain is going to thank you when you have a full day of classes ahead of you.
You can survive a few late nights. You cannot build your entire college experience around running on four hours of sleep and ten iced coffees.
3. No One’s Opinion of You Matters More Than Your Own
This is something I wish I could have tattooed on freshman me’s forehead (Just kidding, I don’t recommend getting tattoos in college either): No one’s opinion of you is more important than your opinion of yourself.
I spent too much time worrying about what my friends thought of me, what strangers thought of me, and whether I was doing something “wrong” in someone else’s eyes. I put other people’s opinions on a pedestal that made me constantly question myself and, sometimes, walk on eggshells. I still do this at times, but it helps to be aware of it and recognize when it‘s happening.
College is the time to figure out who you are. You cannot do that if you are constantly editing yourself to make other people comfortable.
If something feels right and true to you, let yourself pursue it. Wear the outfit. Join the organization. Change your major. Make the plans. Say no. Say yes. Try something new. Be wrong. Be right. It‘s okay!
Not everyone is going to understand you, and that is okay.
The people who are meant to be in your life will not require you to abandon yourself just to keep them around.
4. Pour Into the People Who Pour Into You
Not every friendship you make in college is going to last, and that is not necessarily a bad thing.
Some people get weird. Some friendships naturally fade. Some people you thought would be lifelong friends end up being a chapter instead. Do not take it personally.
Instead, pay attention to the people who genuinely want the best for you. The people who celebrate your wins, encourage your goals, check in on you, and inspire you to become a better version of yourself are the people worth investing in.
Water the grass that waters you back.
There is a reason people say that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Look around at your circle. Are they ambitious? Kind? Curious? Supportive? Are they pushing themselves to grow?
If you are always the smartest, most ambitious, or most driven person in the room, maybe it is time to find a new room. Surround yourself with people who inspire you. Your friends should not make you feel like you have to shrink yourself. They should make you excited about who you are becoming.
5. Actually Show Up
Finally, I would tell my freshman self to take advantage of every opportunity to show up.
College campuses are filled with networking events, student organizations, career fairs, guest speakers, volunteer opportunities, social events, and communities that you may never encounter again after graduation.
It can be tempting to skip them. You are tired. You have an assignment due. You do not know anyone going. You are nervous about walking into a room alone. Go anyway!
Showing up is how you meet people. It is how you find mentors. It is how you hear about internships and opportunities before they are posted online. It is how you discover organizations you never knew existed and sometimes make friendships that last far beyond college.
And if you are paying tuition, or working hard to maintain a scholarship that helped you get there, make the most of what your school has to offer.
You do not have to attend every single event or turn college into one giant networking session. But do not let fear, awkwardness, or being busy keep you from participating in your own college experience.
You cannot get opportunities you never show up for.
Make These Years Count
These are the five things I would tell my freshman self if I could go back.
Move your body. Protect your sleep. Stop putting everyone else’s opinions above your own. Pour into the people who pour into you. And, most importantly, show up.
You do not need to have your entire life figured out when you walk onto campus for the first time. Honestly, you probably shouldn’t. College is about becoming someone new, and that process is going to be messy, exciting, uncomfortable, and completely worth it.
So take the class you are curious about. Go to the event where you know absolutely no one. Make the new friend. Join the club. Take the internship. Go for the walk. Get eight hours of sleep. And stop worrying so much about what everyone else thinks.
Your freshman self does not need to know exactly where she is going. She just needs to keep moving.