It feels like just yesterday I was kissing my family goodbye as they sent me off into my first year of college. Though I am only a junior, I have grown so much as an individual and as a student since then. Sometimes when reflecting on ourselves and past experiences, there are several things that I wish I knew coming into college as well as some things I’d want to change, do over, or experience again. If I could somehow give myself a few pointers two years ago, I would tell myself this:
Rent, don’t buy textbooks nor too soon
This is the biggest mistake I made during my first year. I know we all want to be prepared for classes, especially as a first-year college student but, buying books is sometimes really unnecessary. The best way to go is to rent your textbooks, especially for the students in STEM (bless your souls). It’ll save you a lot of money and space. You can also ask your peers that have taken a similar course for their old books and most times they’ll sell you the books at a much lower price. However, I do encourage students that already know what they are majoring in to start building a personal library as soon as you can as it’ll help you out so much in the future.
Party more (and safer)
I don’t know if I am going to get in trouble for putting this on here, but party!! Looking back, my first year at Wells was the year I had the most fun. There was a sense of excitement and carelessness that only lived in me during my first year. As first years you have more free time and room for error because you just got here. It is always being discussed that Wells is not a party school, though this is true that doesn’t mean you should not show up to the dances and events. It should be more of a reason to come out as there isn’t much else to do, so let’s make what we have lit. Do more things with your friends that make you happy and create more memories but of course, be safe and cautious. Look out for yourself and your friends. Know your limits, learn what suspicious signs look like, and prioritize.
Interact with your professors
One of the perks of going to a small college like Wells is that we can build strong relationships with our faculty. This is something I took for granted up until the beginning of my sophomore year. Professors love to chat about class, about what’s happening on campus, about themselves, about you, literally anything. As a first year, it can be intimidating to talk or ask for help from your professor, as the professor-to-student relationship is new, but that is what they are here for! They are our Professors, our mentors, and even our friends.
Experience
Most times we have got it in our heads that we must maintain a perfect GPA. Though we should always be striving to be the best students we can be, it is not all that matters. It is never too early to look into possible internships that pertain to your interests or your major(s). On-campus positions are also an excellent way to gain experience whether it be a student club or a campus job, it shows that you have been involved in many things.
Find something that is for you
I remember going to the club fair at the start of the semester and not joining any clubs. It wasn’t until the second semester that I joined one, and it made my semester a little more interesting and fun. By joining clubs not only are you surrounding yourself with people that care about and like the same things as you but you are in a space where you can make connections and build relationships based on similar interests as well as your differences.
My college career has taught me many things and I have only done half my time. There is not much I would want to do over but there are definitely a few things I wish I’d known before.