A friendly warning for incoming freshmen

In movies or stories about college you often hear how much fun students have and how easy and great college is. 

Coming into your freshman year it’s important to throw that out the window. Yes, there will be plenty of fun times and great memories, but you also might hate it.

When you come to college you can reinvent yourself and some people will take that opportunity. You might meet people who act completely different later into the year. 

And that’s OK, college is your first big step to being an adult and that step will change people in different ways. You might make friends at the beginning of the year that you barely talk to at the end of the year, or you might be lucky enough to find “your crew” right away. 

Either way its OK, as long as you keep an open mind and remember not to compare your experience to others or what you’ve seen online. The most important thing is don’t give up – good things are often a little harder to find. 

It might seem easy to just stay close to any of your friends from high school that came to college with you, but it’s important to broaden your horizons. You and your friends will be changing and might end up growing away from each other. Not every friendship is meant to last outside of high school. 

I’m not saying throw away your old friends, just don’t be afraid to expand your friend groups.

And about romantic relationships in college, don’t worry about ‘em. What is meant to be will be. 

Everyone you meet in the first couple of weeks is trying their best to make connections. They might seem cool because they’re new and they’re trying to make a good impression. 

If they’re worth your time, they will be there after you’re settled and comfortable on campus. I’m not saying ignore every person that comes your way, but I advise you to take it slow and focus on your classes. Once you’re comfortable, you can add in the complicated stuff that comes with romantic relationships or “talking” to people. 

If you wait a little bit before diving into romance, you might find that what you want while you’re in college changes. Plus, if you wait long enough to let them settle in, you might find you both have changed and you might not like them afterall. 

Allowing yourself to settle in before worrying about romance or “talking” will save you a lot of time and heartache.

Warnings I wished I’d heard:

Your friend that came back from college and told you all their favorite memories probably left out a lot of times that weren’t so great.

Your college tour guide definitely left out any negatives, it’s their job. College life won’t be the breeze they describe it as until you’re settled. 

Don’t worry about it.

Don’t worry about trying to change yourself, you don’t need to change to find good friends. Good friends will help you change for the better.  

It’s OK to feel a little lost or disillusioned about your early college experience. 

It gets better and eventually you’ll find yourself telling your friends at home about the fun  you had or the new friend you made. 

Freshman year will come with plenty of challenges. It just takes time and a little faith that things will turn out fine.

 Remember it’s OK to hate some parts, but as long as you don’t give up, you’ll find the parts you love.