Embarking on my journey to college at 18, I thought I knew everything there was to know about the world. Now at 21, entering my senior year, I look back and BOY, was I freaking wrong! Right before my freshman year people kept giving me the same pieces of advice- like how much of my attention I needed to focus on classes instead of partying and how awful the food would be but that these would be the best years of my life.

A few guiding gems they neglected to mention were:

• High school heartbreak is NOTHING compared to college heartbreak.
• That jumbo pack of cup noodles from Costco was completely unnecessary.

&

• ratemyprofessors.com would become my holy grail.

To help make someone’s life a little easier in the ways mine was not, I’ve decided to compile a list of 10 things I would loved to have known before entering college.

1. Time management is ACTUALLY important. Okay, so some may have tried to warn me of this but I’m stubborn and didn’t listen. I really should have. In college (especially while dorming) there are so many things going on that it’s so, so, sooooo easy to get caught up in the minutia and lose focus on why you’re actually there. Don’t throw away thousands of dollars (or a scholarship if you’re lucky), get your work done (and done right) or you will 100% regret it. I found that sticky notes, planners, calendars, etc. all helped me. Everyone is different so try everything out and stick with whatever works for you but the point is, get it done and stay organized and on top of your due dates.

2. Building relationships with your professors can really help you. It’s easy to get lost in a lecture hall of 100+ people. Go to their office hours if you need help or even if you don’t really need help…just to show your face and at the very least, look like you care about the course. This really counts if you’re ever in between grades. Being able to place a name to a face could be the difference between giving you a 3.9 or boosting you up to a 4.0. Make those connections!

3. Academic connections aren’t the only important ones. Joining clubs and getting involved in school activities can introduce you to new people who have similar interests. Don’t be afraid of being new, everyone is new! Sign up for as many clubs as possible, you can always drop the ones you’re not really interested in. Extra-curricular activities can also help you stand apart from the crowd if you later decide to go on to gaining a higher education.

4. There are PLENTY of resources available, use them! Every school is different but utilize everything from professors’ office hours to free tutoring, even your school’s librarians can be helpful. There’s plenty of extra help at your disposal but like most things in college, they won’t fall into your lap.

5. Don’t be afraid to do things alone. This is one of the most important things I’ve learned in college. If you aren’t used to it, you may feel a little weird at first but it’s totally okay to eat by yourself, go to activities alone, just… be alone. More often than not you won’t be the only one venturing the campus alone and you’ll make new friends! It’s okay to do your own thing; you don’t have to follow any one particular pack.

6. College really is your time to explore freely, take advantage. Take classes on things that interest you even if they don’t fall under your major. You may even discover a new passion (like I did!) Make the most of your time in college, it’s better to try something and hate it (like my roommate and that strange wilderness class she took) than to regret never even giving it a shot. Your outlook on life will only change if you expose yourself to new things.

7. Sleep helps your brain retain knowledge. You are likely to do significantly better by studying before bed instead of cramming right before the exam. Midterms and finals can get hectic and cramming can be unavoidable but even 1 night of sleep after studying can help you do much better the next day. Just something to keep in mind.

8. There is a big difference between party friends and forever friends. I’ve made my share of the former thinking they were the latter… it happens. Just try to be aware. It’s easy to want to trust and befriend everyone you come across but be sure to pay attention to who’s really there for you on the day to day and who only hits you up for parties on the weekends. It’s good to have both sets of friends, just don’t confuse one for the other. Know which friends you can turn to if you ever run into a pressing issue or are just feeling off or down.

9. You don’t need to have it all figured out, at all. There’s a lot of pressure on undergrads now more than ever, at an age where we’re all still coming into our own, we also have to decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives. But honestly, this is the time to try things and change your mind. Change it as many times as you want. I went in with one major and I’ll be graduating with a COMPLETELY different one that I didn’t even know existed when I enrolled.

10. You should live in the moment and appreciate it. Yes, there will be many times you will want to give up. Whether it’s because of classes, your social life, financial issues… you name it- being in college will affect many different aspects of your life. One thing we never do enough of is appreciating that struggle. Appreciate that you have this time to make mistakes and learn about the things you want or don’t want out of life. Try not to take it for granted.

College can be the best time of your life, it can also be the most difficult. You may not always make the best decisions (especially when it involves waking up for an 8:30 am class in the dead of winter) but it’s okay! It’s a learning experience and if you’ve made it this far, you’re already doing pretty great!