What I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Got To College

I have officially finished my first year of college and IT WAS SO FUN. College is the best because of the freedom you have and the amazing people you meet. As a senior in high school worried to death about the future, I had no idea it would be this good. I'm no expert of course, as I've only been a college student for a year, but here's some advice that will hopefully be helpful to those fresh high school graduates.

1.  You aren't alone.

It is important to know that even when you feel so stressed and overwhelmed with your schoolwork and life in general, you are never alone. You have roommates, classmates, teachers, church leaders, neighbors, home teachers, and visiting teachers that are more than happy to help you if you need it. It is also important to know that everyone is going through the same college struggles you are and everyone is trying their best to get through together.  Most importantly though, Heavenly Father is so aware of you and will place people in your life to help and bless you.

 

2.  Don't bring things you don't normally use.

If you haven't used it at home, you won't use it at college. I am one of those people that have a TON of random stuff in bins that I think I might need at some point. My bin of random stuff stayed under my bed all year. There were a few things I would pull out, but I definitely didn't need to bring a lot of the stuff that I did. Make it easier on yourself for when the end of the semester comes around, you can pack everything up faster and easier.

3.  Meeting strangers is normal.

College is all about meeting people! It's a little weird at first, but it's so important to get out of your comfort zone and talk to people. This is how you create lifelong friendships and I mean, if you're lucky maybe you'll meet your one true love ;) Don't be afraid of going on dates with new people or going to a game night at someone's apartment that you don't know that well. Meet as many people as you possibly can! Make a huge friend group with all sorts of people! This one time my roommate Maddy and I met these two guys at open mic night and we decided to make a band with them, but then Maddy had to leave, so it was just me and these guys I just met. I went and sang with my two new friends and it was SO FUN to jam out with them! (That guy I'm dancing with I literally met in the hall like 20 minutes previously and then we competed together in a dance competition.)

4.  Get close with your roommates.

Honestly, I didn't have the best mindset going into living with a bunch of girls. I basically told myself that just because I live with them doesn't mean I have to be best friends with them. I thought that I wouldn't be super close with them because I would be gone a lot. However, you have to learn to share and communicate with your roommates. It is kind of impossible not to become bffs with your roommates! I got so blessed this year to have such awesome girls as roommates. But becoming close friends with them was a choice. I chose to communicate and get to know them which drew us closer. My room-roommate, Maddy, has become my best friend and we look forward to having sleepovers together every night haha. I chose to room with random girls from different parts of the country, and it was the best decision. Also, before the semester starts, reach out to your apartment complex manager and find out who your roommates are going to be. That way you can find them on social media beforehand and reach out and get a head start on those friendships.

5.  Treat yourself...but not too much.

You will soon realize that you are accountable for your own spending and you have to be responsible about what you buy. As much as you might want to buy a pack of Oreos every grocery trip you go on, you have to be smart and only buy things that you need and are as inexpensive as possible. Your spending will eventually add up if you are constantly splurging on treats. However, you will find that there are times when you NEED to treat yourself and that is totally okay. As many of you may know, I am a die hard Wendy's fan, and I love going to get a (necessary) cheeseburger and frosty every once in a while. But don't be scared of cooking your own meals. It can be daunting, but it is doable. It will save you time and money if you can cook something and have left overs for a few days. 

6.  Remember the reason you're at college in the first place.

It is so easy to get caught up in the fun social life of college, but you need to remember the real reason you are there. That is, to get an education. I am as guilty as anyone with procrastinating until the last second to get my homework done, but I am telling you, you will be SO much less stressed if you get your homework done quick instead of putting it off. I'll work on this one if you will? ;)

7.  Freshman 15.

The dreaded freshman 15 that everyone talks about is real... BUT ONLY IF YOU LET IT. This goes along with what I said earlier about watching what you buy when you get groceries, but that is seriously a huge part of keeping yourself healthy while you're at college. Also, find time to go to the gym if you can, or do a workout in your apartment. Don't let yourself get lazy! Working out can be a huge stress reliever as well, so it will help you out in more ways than one. Another fun way to stay active is by joining an intramural team! Even if you don't know how to play sports, still do it hahaha it's so fun! Maddy had never played basketball before in her life, but we taught her the basics and we had so much fun playing together on our team,

8. Go on lots of dates.

Along with making new friends, you should be going on dates and getting to know people that way. Keep in mind that as you are going on dates that there is no serious commitment involved in a date besides dedicating your time to getting to know that person better. Just because someone asks you on a date does not mean they want to marry you right then and there. It's funny how dating changes from high school to college, because in high school you could just date with no thought about the future or marriage or things like that, but college dating all of a sudden seems to mean that you date to marry or you don't date at all. If you are thinking about the future so much, you will miss the fun times getting to know someone. Don't stress about whether this person that asked you out could be your potential companion or not. Make dating fun!!!

 

9.  Don't be afraid to ask for help.

If you are struggling with your schoolwork, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SUFFER. There are so many opportunities for you to get help. Your professors want you to succeed and are willing to help you. There is also tutoring and your classmates that can help you as well. Make friends with your classmates! Your roommates and leaders can help you with non schoolwork needs too, so don't be afraid to ask for help! Sometimes you get stranded in the bathroom without toilet paper, but I promise you that if you just ask, someone will bring you some ;)

 

10.  Sleep is VITAL

Naps. naps. naps. I legit took a nap almost every day. It helps me keep going throughout the day. There is no rule that says you can't take a nap when you're an adult hahaha. Also try to get enough sleep at night. It's so fun to stay up with your friends and roommates, but its killer when you have a 7:45 class the next morning. At BYU-I we have a curfew at midnight, but just because we have the curfew doesn't mean you can't go to bed BEFORE curfew....

 

Overall, I think college is what you make of it. You can choose to have a good experience if you want to have a good experience. I am so grateful for the experiences I've had during my first year of college that have helped me grow in so many ways. One of my friends in my math class would always say, "College is fun."  To all those preparing to go to college soon, don't stress it. The future is full of so many exciting things for you to discover.  COLLEGE IS SO FUN.