Being home for my little sister’s graduation party took me back to my own transition from high school to college. I accomplished quite a bit freshman year, but here’s what I wish I would have done on top of those accomplishments.
1. Get a job (preferably on campus)
I worked a few jobs in high school and had a decent amount of savings going into my first year of college. I burned through those savings real quick, and then I had to get a job sophomore year. Looking back, I had so much free time as a freshman, and definitely should have picked up a part-time job.
2. Talk to my professors
This becomes easier as you progress in college. Class sizes get smaller and you become more comfortable talking to profs. But it is also less important at that stage as well. I needed the most help freshman year, but didn’t make it to a professor’s office hours until I was a junior.
3. Join more organizations
You get to meet new people who are interested in the same things you are, make friends, and most importantly eat free food. I didn’t want anything to decrease my free time after being involved with everything in high school, but I wish I would have joined more student organizations freshman year.
4. Eat healthier
I sometimes think that I wouldn’t eat as cleanly now if I didn’t experience throwing down multiple burgers with a side of Lucky Charms every meal as a freshman. But once you start grocery shopping and cooking on your own, you’ll realize that fresh fruit and vegetables are much more luxurious than Lucky Charms. So take advantage of the healthy food you can eat on your meal plan while you still have it!
5. Learn how to cook
The summer between my freshman and sophomore year I told myself that I would learn a few good recipes. It never happened, and the first few months of my sophomore year I was eating sandwiches, mac n cheese, and oatmeal cream pies. Now that I know how to cook for myself, it’s one of my favorite things to do, and it’s a fun and cheap way to entertain other people (who are usually impressed by your cooking skills).
And one thing I wish I didn’t do: Compare myself to other people
My first months of freshman year were spent looking at Facebook at what all my high school friends were doing at their colleges. I compared my experience to theirs, and I also compared myself to the people I met at my school who were taking huge class loads, landing awesome internships, and driving fancy cars.
One of the smartest people I know once told me that comparison is the thief of joy. It’s fun to reconnect with old friends, or meet new exciting people, but don’t use them as a yardstick for how your life is going. You have the power to make an awesome experience for yourself wherever you end up in college, or in life for that matter. Make your life what you want it to be.