I hope all of you guys are enjoying your weekend! Whether that means reading in the sun, working, going on a walk, or whatever you like to do in your free time. Anyway, I meant to post this earlier, but I've been busy and this post needed some tweaking before I would post it. As I look back on my freshman year of college, I made a list of everything that I learned (or everything I wished someone would have told me). It's a running log that I've been working on since fall, so I apologize if it's choppy or ranty...I did this throughout the year and some days were a little rougher than others...
Anyway, here it is! Enjoy it and have a great weekend!
Love,
Katie
Packing
- I literally bought enough stuff that I'd be prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse. Dead serious. (Ha ha ha, please tell me that somebody else appreciates what I just did there!) I bought way, way too much stuff (lots of duplicates, too) and I left a fair share of my stuff at home so then I could re-stock my stash later. So, long story short, unless you're college is in a cornfield and the nearest Target is an hour away, do not buy multiples of items; buy as much as you think you'll need and re-group from there.
- (Guys, I'm not kidding with this. I literally bought 4 huge boxes of tissues, 500 Ziploc baggies, 200 dryer sheets, 4 bottles of shaving cream, 2 bottles of shampoo, 2 bottles of conditioner, 3 different types of laundry detergent, and a bunch of other stuff. Don't do what I did!)
- Make sure you bring at least one nice/formal outfit! If you have a suit (which all of you should), bring it! And if you don't, bring nice dress pants/skirts and a nice blouse/button-down. There will be event on campus that are formal and you don't want to be the one wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt.
- OR you'll have a job interview and you'll need to wear it to look professional!
- Bring an air-freshener! Your room is going to smell fairly awful the first week, so you may as well try to get rid of the smell ASAP.
- I brought an air spray and one of those Renuzit Aroma Adjustable things. But super helpful not to make the room smell.
- A whiteboard! (I know, weird thing to bring...) It's crazy helpful, though, whether you realize it or not. I write notes to myself, leave reminders, use it for math problems, etc. I had no idea that I would actually use it as much as I do. I have a 12x10 inch and it's super handy! Not too big, but not too small.
- If you want to bring food to keep in your dorm room, bring healthy snacks-and stuff that has a good shelf life. Granola bars, almonds, peanut butter, apples, and stuff like that. A proper diet is another key to help maintain your health.
- Coordinate with your roommate. (And you're probably thinking: Duh! But seriously, guys, coordinate with your roommate.) You don't need to coordinate colors or patterns or anything (unless you want to), but make sure you understand who is bringing carpet, a futon, fridge, etc.
- It's bound to happen. It doesn't matter if you live 5 hours away or 5 minutes away, it happens to everyone. There will be people who look like they are not homesick at all and are handling this transition fantastically, but trust me when I tell you that they are hiding the fact that they are just as homesick as you feel. (And if it doesn't happen to you, then consider yourself very lucky and I encourage you not to share that too often because there are some people that experience it worse than others.)
- For me, I brought pictures and books to help remind me of home. Find the items that remind you of home and comfort you. It doesn't need to be big or obvious, but something that is reassuring and comforting when things get stressful or you get extremely homesick.
- You are not replacing your old friends. Read that again. Okay, good. Your friends from back home are still your friends and you do not need to try to replace them now that you're at your school and they're at theirs'. Don't try to find your same friend group dynamics from back home. Change it up. Befriend all types of new people.
- College allows you to become friends with people you probably wouldn't have been friends with in high school. Therefore, it's a great time to expand your circle and become friends with the hipsters, band geeks, athletes, etc.!
- Throw out any assumptions or judgments you have made about your future classmates because they. Are. WRONG. Let's be honest here: you're going to creep on your new classmates on Facebook and you're going to make incorrect assumptions about people. That super cute guy/girl you creeped on? Not nearly as cute in person and they're kind of a jerk. That tattooed kid with the weird posts and pictures? They're actually really cool and you get along better than you thought. These assumptions and judgments actually hurt possible friendships because you don't know these people. So be open and see what happens!
- Everyone is just as excited to meet people. Don't be afraid to walk up to someone and have a conversation because they want to meet you, too! Be social and talk with people! If you're an introvert, go with another person and you'll meet more people!
- Keep in touch with your friends from back home. Call or text them every once in a while to chat. Trust me, they wan to hear from you. I have a few friends that I Skype with at least once a month, a best friend I text literally every day, and am in a Facebook group with others. It also rocks when you see them in person!
- Studying in groups is actually really helpful. In high school, I hated having group study sessions and preferred to sit in the library alone to study. I still love to do that, but I've also learned the value in being with other people. I've had so many times where I've gone to the library with a friend and we've sat in complete silence as we did homework. The benefit is that you're still getting human interaction and still getting homework done. It's also a great de-stresser!
- Don't be afraid to ask your professors or TAs for help! I don't even know how many times I've popped my head into a prof's office because I had a question about an assignment or wanted them to look over a paper. It's really helpful because you become more than just a face in the classroom. It shows that you care about the class and want to succeed! Major brownie points, trust me!
- Actually go to class! I know that seems really silly to say, but I know so many people that skip class all the time. All you're doing is hurting yourself academically AND throwing money away! I know there are the days when you'd much rather sleep in than go to your 8 AM class or there's that silly general that you haven't learned anything in, but you still need to go. (Easier said than done, I know.)
- Choosing to rent or buy your books is always a personal choice. There are pros and cons to each, so choose as you please. There are lots of websites available to help you find the best book price. Like this one here! It can be kind of a headache, but it will save you money.
- Another option is to check books out from the local library.
- Always say yes! (Within reason, of course.) College has so many brand new opportunities and things for you to do, so really leave your comfort zone and try something new! Especially when someone invites you to do something with them, accept it! There's a band playing that you've never heard of, but a kid on your floor invited you, should you go? Yes! You just finished eating lunch, but a friend texted you and asked if you wanted to eat with them, should you go? Yes! There's a meeting for a club you've never heard of, but the president personally invited you, should you go? Yes! (Getting the trend here, people?) Accept these offers because you have no idea what's going to happen. For all you know, that band is going to rock and you're going to meet a bunch of new people! Having lunch with a friend you aren't super close to could build a good relationship. That club is actually really cool and the people there are nice. What I'm really trying to say, is that you NEED to take these opportunities to find your groove! You have no idea what doors could open because you decided to do these things!
- Keep your dorm door open! When the door is open, people will pop their head in to say hi or to check it. Closing the door is literally closing the door on opportunities. People walk by hallways all the time, so be prepared for people to peer in and say hi.
- If you have a TV in your room and the door open, there will be people who want to see what you're doing. If someone does do that, invite them in! They walked by for a reason, so inviting them to sit down on the futon or pull up a chair. I can pretty much guarantee that they really want to have human contact or they're shy and want to meet new people, so please invite them to hang out!
- That being said, if you're one of those people walking hallways, don't be afraid to put yourself out there! Walk around your hallway or other hallways, pop your head into rooms, etc. Again, put yourself out there! You don't need to be super outgoing (especially if you're not an extrovert), but start taking little steps as a way to meet people.
- I'm sure all of you are fairly logical people, so this probably goes without saying, but bring appropriate health necessities. All of the basic toiletries and then some because you honestly have no idea what you'll need.
- Oh! And bring medicine! Beyond the Advil, bring additional stuff for sore throats, stuffy nose, all of that fun stuff. It's really nice to be able to have medicine when you wake up in the morning and feel horrible and you can take something before class and won't have to worry about scheduling time to run to the store.
- Sleep! You have no idea how badly you need sleep until you crash and burn. There are a lot of new freedoms at college and it's awesome. You don't have to worry about sneaking in pass curfew or going to bed at a reasonable time, but you really need to sleep. It's a lot of fun at first being extremely independent and being able to run on 4 hours of sleep, but it's not pretty when you do burn out.
- Plus, you get sick. I wasn't sleeping nearly as much as I should've been my first month or so here and I got sick and it wasn't fun. So try to sleep. A lot.
- The freshmen 15 is not real...But only if you prevent it. Like most things, watch what you eat, but you can treat yourself. Watch your portions and eat a balanced meal. Pay attention to what your body is telling you, too! If you're not overly hungry, but you're going to dinner with your friends, eat some fruit or veggies instead of getting the entree.
- Make sure you work out! It's another way to avoid the freshmen 15 and it really helps decrease your stress!
- Set basic ground rules with your roomie! It doesn't need to be a billion rules or a signed agreement (please tell me someone is getting my references to the Roommate Agreement for The Big Bang Theory...), but it's a nice courtesy to have a basic understanding with your roomie.
- Plus this avoids future issues. For example, their significant other is over all the freaking time and you've definitely walked back to your room and found them hanging out more times than you can count. Simply ask them to text you when they're coming over so you know to plan ahead.
- If you chose your roommate or had them selected randomly, it won't be what you are expecting. You are now sharing a smaller space with someone you may (or may not) know and you have to adjust living with them. Some matches are spot on and you and your roomie become inseparable, and others are not...My roomie and I got along well and we lived together fine, but we didn't really hang out outside of our room. We are not living together next year, but it wasn't because we had poor experiences, it's because we just want to live with someone else. So it happens, don't stress out!
- Not all matches are perfect. You are your roomie do not need to be best friends. As long as you live together well, that's all that matters. But I have met numerous people who have switched rooms or roommates during the year because it just wasn't a good space and the relationship was not good. This isn't always the case with people and it's rare, but it does happen.
- Don't be afraid to talk with your RA if you have some problems or need some ideas on how to build a better relationship with your roomie. They know what to do. :)
Other
- Do not compare your college experience to the people's you see on Facebook. You will be scrolling through your Facebook page and notice that a bunch of your friends/people you graduated with are posting fun pictures with their new college besties. Don't stress and do NOT compare yourself to them. Every college experience is unique and different in its own way. When you compare to others, you are sucking the fun out of your own experience.
- Remember: Comparison is a thief of joy!
- If you realize that college isn't for you, give it a chance. There will be problems that you aren't prepared for, but you can't quit! Give it time! Stay at your school until the end of your trimester, semester, whatever it is. And if you take your finals and realize that college is not for you, that's okay. There is nothing wrong with realizing that college is not for you. If people give you a hard time about not going to college or not graduating, ignore them. (I know, I know, easier said than done.) People don't understand that it isn't for everyone and there is nothing to be ashamed of.
- Bring your ID everywhere! The minute you get your ID, attach it to your landyard (that should have your room key) and bring it with you everywhere! Most girls get a cute wallet thing, like this. You can put other important info in it, too (ID number, mailbox number, money, all that jazz). Guys usually keep it in their wallets, but that means that they don't forget them...But seriously, guys, BRING YOUR ID WITH YOU EVERYWHERE!
- Like most high school students, you probably have A LOT of high school apparel. I read on some blogs that you don't bring any of your old sweatshirts or state champion t-shirts because you're at a new school and no one cares. Although that may be true, that wasn't really the case for me at my school. (Granted, I do go to a small college, so it may be different at larger schools...) I brought a handful of t-shirts that I was going to use as work-out clothes and a sweatshirt with me just to see what it'd be like and found that people wear high school stuff all the time! Plus, it's something familiar to you. (You don't realize how much you need something familiar to you until it's gone...)
- If you bought a lettermen's jacket, that's a tad more tricky...I haven't seen any yet, but that doesn't mean you can't bring one with! I'm assuming you paid a lot of money for it and you want to still use it because it is very nice, so do what you want. Maybe bring it with you and see if anyone else has one or you can bring it back home if it feels out of place.
- If you choose to drink at school, please be careful. Ultimately, the decision is up to you, but I highly encourage all of you to be responsible. Remember that you are representing your college if you choose to go out and party and get completely wasted...Remember that there are very bad people out in this world that have absolutely no problem taking advantage of college students (either men or women).
- You are responsible for your own actions. Remember that. Don't expect your friends to babysit you. They will monitor you and keep you safe, but if you choose to make questionable decisions, do not blame them the following days for not stopping you. You're an adult. This was your decision and you're going to deal with the consequences.
- Make sure you have friends that you can count on! If that's the DD or someone back on campus that can help you, make sure you let them know what's going on. If you go to a party, give them the address in advance so if you need help, they can come get you. Silly, I know, but it's nice to know.
- Okay, I'm off my soap box. I just really wanted to explain to all of you what I have seen this past year and all of the drama that I have witnessed. But, please please please be safe.
- Don't jump into a relationship right away. There are going to be brand new people at college and it's really exciting (and a lot of them are really attractive), but don't start dating someone right away. The first month or so is when you really need to take time to yourself, adjust to this new life, and meet new people. And as tempting as it is to start a relationship with someone a week after you first move in, give it until your Thanksgiving or your first major break.
- If you're going to buy a futon, buy a nice one. Or even a small couch. Although futons are cheap(ish), I encourage all of you to look at other options. I had one friend who brought in a super comfy chair and another one got two recliners; they both fit into the dorm room nicely and were different and more homey.
