hello friends! it’s officially one week into my second semester as a freshman in college, and it was a really, really, tough one. i decided that making a guide/advice post would benefit not only others who may be reading this, but myself as well. i hope you enjoy the next twenty-six things i have learned and am going to keep in mind as the years progress.
always stay positive. this goes for all parts of life (not just college) as well. i have found that being negative offers no value and keeping it positive has a little way of working its magic. by staying positive, outcomes of events usually turn out for the better.
be present. while hiding behind a closed door in the dorms is definitely an option (and at times seems like the easiest), putting yourself out there and engaging in all aspects of college will truly bring out the best in yourself. this goes for classes too, not just socialization. no matter where you are, a huge chunk of your college tuition comes from the classes you get to attend. make sure you are making the most out of your time and engage yourself.
create your own memories. college is a short period of time in one’s life where they truly get to be off on their own while working hard to earn a degree. yet it is not only about studying all of the time, be sure to venture out with friends and create those stories that you will laugh about and tell your kids years down the line.
don’t forget about your hometown. in college, you are constantly stimulated by people and events and much more. it is a wonderful opportunity to make new friends, but do not forget about the ones who have been by your side all these years. they are the one’s who have been by your side for a long time, and are deeply curious about how you are doing, whether it be good or bad.
expect the unexpected. there is absolutely no way to predict what is going to happen on a day to day basis. to some extent yes, you know that you have three classes that day, you’re going to work at your job for a couple hours, and you perhaps are going to squeeze in a workout at some point, but the details that fall into these basic, daily events are unknown. the ability to adapt to whatever the day throws at you is a great skill to acquire, although it is a hard one. it is kind of nice in a way, it keeps you constantly on your feet and constantly busy.
freedom is a privilege, not a right. yes, college brings up the idea that you are all off on your own and can go out until 3am not remembering the night when you wake up the next morning, but be sure to not abuse this. everyone has the freedom to make their own choices and “be an adult”, but constantly doing whatever you please is just setting yourself up for a bad outcome. do not take advantage of the amount of freedom you have. “be an adult” and make smart choices.
go to sleep!!! honestly last semester there were SO many nights where my roommate and i went to bed at 2am, having to wake up in time to go to breakfast and make it to a 9am class. and we just kept repeating the cycle every night until the weekends where we messed up our sleep schedule even more. sleep is extremely important, and is the number one thing adults in my life tell me when i want to make a change. i honestly feel so much better getting enough sleep, and it prepares me for the day.
hope for a brighter tomorrow. there will be days where you are just so overwhelmed and feel as if nothing is going right. i have learned that everyone at one point or another, whether they admit it or not, has bad days. some people, are just really good at hiding it. know that the bad days will be put behind you and that there are plenty of great days to come.
ice cream can solve a lot of problems. enough said.
just breathe. remember to take those moments to stop and remember who you are. it is so easy to get caught up in the stress of college. taking time for yourself and acknowledging that everything is going to be okay is a great way to process those crazy emotions you may be feeling
kill them with kindness. no matter where you are, there are going to be people who really get to you, people who you just cannot seem to get along with, people who rub you the wrong way. this is completely normal. not everyone is going to get along, that is the simple truth. being kind has incredible powers though. be the bigger person to try and eliminate any tension there may be with you and another person. you, nor anyone else gains something from being mean, rude or inconsiderate.
let it go. things happen that will really set you off. learn how to move past the frustrations and make the most out of everything. holding on to things for too long will not only get you no where, it will also start to control you.
make the most out of everything. everything that happens to you in college (and in life), is supposed to happen for a reason. fail a test? take that as a lesson that sometimes in life, you cannot win every race you run. professor cancels class? take that as an opportunity to grab a quick bite to eat with one of your floor mates you have been meaning to catch up with. alone in your room on a saturday night? take that as a moment to take time for yourself.
nobody has it all together. before i left for college, a good friend of mine who is currently a sophomore, texted me and said, “…it will seem as if everyone is having a better time than you, when really they are feeling the same way you are.” i really took that into account and it really helped me. talking to some of my friends and hearing that these emotions actually happen was very reassuring. (shout out to all my friends and my advice giver eliz.)
open your eyes. look at the world around you. while being away from home, there are so many beautiful things to take in. don’t spend the next couple years missing out on what there is to offer.
practice peace. my eight grade science teacher always assigned our weekend homework to “practice peace” and it really plays a role in college. having tension or beef with someone can be super awkward, or getting into little arguments with some of your friends are bound to happen (after all, you see them all the time, every single day). keeping the kindness around takes away the bitterness that is inevitable. (i may have touched on this earlier, but this is an important one.)
quit beating yourself up so much. you’re going to have hard times and things that you never thought would happen, are going to happen. t
r.a’s and p.m’s (that’s peer minister for all of you) are a great resource. i got so lucky and got a really great RA. they have at least a year of college under their belt and know and have been through all of the same struggles you will and are going through. befriending my RA was one of the greatest decisions i made in my time here at college.
say yes, but know when to say no. saying yes and stepping out of your comfort zone every once is a while is great, but saying no when you know you are either tired, uncomfortable, or simply just not up for going out, is perfectly okay as well.
trust your gut. no matter the situation, that little voice that always appears in your head first 9 times out of 10 is right. listen to that voice.
use your time wisely. a day is only twenty-four hours, but it goes by pretty quickly. make the most of it. sitting in your bed watching netflix or hiding yourself away can be nice, but is also the most unproductive way to spend your time. go out with friends, review those science notes, do all that you can to fill the time with things that will be worthwhile.
videotape as well as take photos of your experience! i have so many pictures and hilarious videos from first semester in which i can look back on and remember exactly what was happening in that exact moment. you are going to want something to look back on in the future.
wait. things not going your way? wait a few days. better yet, wait a few hours. things are constantly changing. also, wait before you make any decisions. i have noticed a lot of people make impulse decisions and drastic choices and they don’t usually turn out to be the best… wait and see if what you really want is the same the next day.
xoxo (nothing starts with x…) this falls under remembering to love your friends and to always be there for them. even though you have only known these people for a short while, everyone is trying to live their lives in just the same way you are, but sometimes life gets to the best of us. having a support system and loving those who love you and vise versa really will help you get through all the tough times, whether you can control it or not.
yes, you’re going to feel alone, but you’re also going to have the time of your life.
i will admit, there have been multiple times where i just sat in my dorm on the verge of tears and i felt like there was no one i could talk to, because i didn’t know how i would explain how i was feeling. i now realized this feeling of loneliness was a natural feeling, and in order to know what belonging feels like, i needed to feel what it felt like to be alone. on the brighter side, i have never laughed harder and have made amazing friends whom i am so lucky to have.
zits and acne are a thing. you’re going to break out, you’ll get over it.
in hopes to continue the semester strong,
lauren
snippets & snapshots 