5 Things I Learned During Freshman Year: Lessons I Learned the Hard Way So You Don’t Have To

Lessons I Learned the Hard Way So You Don’t Have To

1. Stilettos at a frat party are never worth it.   Yes, your legs look amazing. Sadly, they won’t look as good as you’re stumbling back to your dorm after a few hours in a basement where, incidentally, it’s too dark for anyone to appreciate the display of your “no pain, no gain” attitude. Especially once the sidewalks start icing over. Of course, we’re all willing to make some sacrifices for fashion, but this is one case where you’re better off falling back into some trusty flats.

2. “Long-distance” is as hard as it sounds.   Speaking of the “folks back home,” the unfortunate truth of high school relationships is that they rarely survive the first year of college. I’m not saying they never work out, because of course they can, but it’s going to take a lot of hard work, both at keeping old sparks alive and stamping out any new ones threatening to heat up. At a certain point, it’ll be necessary to evaluate whether you’re staying in the relationship because it’s worth it or just out of habit.

3. Twenty-four hours really isn’t enough time for a research paper.   You probably could pull it off in high school and even get a few hours of beauty sleep before turning in your U.S. History paper, complete with an annotated bibliography. In college, I found out that “ten scholarly sources” no longer means two library books comfortably padded with articles from Wikipedia and Ask.com. Every collegiette has pulled an all-nighter at some point, and there’s nothing quite as miserable as the moment of pure self-loathing sometime around 4AM as you gulp down espresso and start writing page five of ten.

4. Just because it’s free doesn’t mean you should eat it.   When I got to college, I found myself in a Candy Land of free pizza, free donuts, free ice cream, free everything! I often actively sought out my complimentary meals, but occasionally it would come right to my doorstep, thanks to friends, roommates, and RA’s. Unfortunately, people aren’t usually doling out free salads and wheat germ. Plus, you’ll end up with a lot of extra meal points, which, as the semester draws to a close, usually translates into extra pints of chocolate Haagen Daas from Paws ‘n’ Go. Enjoy the free treats within limits, and maybe use those extra meal points to treat your hungry upperclassmen friends scraping by on the Bronze Plan.

5. You do still need your parents.   College is an amazing opportunity to explore a new world of independence and self-sufficiency. You’ll be learning a lot on your own, but don’t forget the wisdom of the folks back home. They went to college, too, so as you’re struggling with roommates, majors, internships, and everything else, it can’t hurt to give them a quick call. And, unlike the Career Center or your four-year advisor, there’s no appointment necessary. Besides, the more you keep in touch, the more likely they are to send a much-needed care package.

Image courtesy of Plan For College

• college lessons
• freshman year