My first year of college was great. I loved my school, met so many great people, excelled in all of my classes, and I decided to go back this year :). I did, however, experience a lot of ups and downs throughout the year. College was definitely a big learning experience for me, and I changed a lot in my first year. So although this post may be a little cliche, I thought it might be fun to share some of the things I learned in my first year and offer up a little advice to some of my friends who are about to start their journey in higher education. So without further ado, here are 20 things that I learned during my freshman year of college!

You will learn more about yourself in one year of college than four years of high school ever taught you. No matter what your expectations of college are, it will surprise you, and you will surprise yourself. College is all about about learning and growing, and through all of these experiences you will learn so much about the kind of person you are and the person you aspire to be. From being away from the comforts of home for the first time to struggling through some of the hardest classes you’ve ever taken, you will discover so many things about yourself.
Take advantage of the fresh start and become the person you’ve always wanted to be. College is about finding yourself and becoming your true self. A fresh start in college gives you a chance to grow into the person you’ve always striven to be. Do things you’ve never tried before and try things you’ve always wanted to. Coming from high school where the norm was to conform, college is gives you a chance to explore yourself and figure out your place in the world. In this time of our lives, we are all trying to figure out ourselves, so you’re not alone!
Partying in college isn’t everything. Take it from the girl who never went to a single party (unless walking up to the door of one counts). You are not missing out on the “the best years of your life” by skipping out on a party. There is so much more to college than the party scene, and there are so many more ways to have fun than drinking until you black out. At the same time, there is also nothing wrong with going to a party from time to time, and there is nothing wrong with going out with friends to have a good time. Just know, you don’t have to party in college to have fun and enjoy the greatest years of your life.
Your number of friends will go from 20 to 2 really quick. You are going to make friends, and you are going to lose friends. Making friends in college is different than making friends in high school. In my first year, I met so many new people it was hard to tell which of them were my “friends” and which were more “acquaintances.” Finding the people who you really want to spend time with and the people you can develop meaningful, life-long relationships with takes time, so don’t worry if you don’t make a bunch of friends right away. You’ll eventually find the people you are supposed to be with.
It’s okay to be homesick… and it’s okay to never be homesick. You may not miss home as much as you thought you would, or you may be missing it a lot more than you expected. Either way, this is perfectly normal. I went into college expecting to be very homesick because I was going to school almost 10 hours away where I didn’t know anyone, but when I got there, I was never really homesick at all. It wasn’t that I didn’t miss my family and friends, but I loved my school life so much, I felt right at home.
Don’t live your life at home. Not meaning physically, but mentally. Don’t let your life back home prevent you from maximizing your life in college. It’s okay to miss home, but don’t become so connected to your home that you are living there, instead of at school. Call home every once in a while but also go out and explore, meet new people, and try new things. You will get so much more out of school if you are engaged and actively living it.
Your sleep schedule will no longer exist. In high school, I had a very routine sleep schedule. I would wake up around 7:15 am and would go to sleep around 11 pm. In college, however, that routine lasted about two weeks. Some nights I would go to bed at 9 pm, other nights it would be around 12 am, and other nights I would be up until 2 am. The great thing about college is the freedom to take naps, so if you’re up writing a paper until 2 am, you can always count on your mid-afternoon snooze in between classes.
School spirit is cool. Unlike high school where having school spirit was considered lame, loving and cheering on your school is actually normal. Wear your school colors, go to sporting events, and be proud of your school!
You will survive finals week. Even when you feel overwhelmed and stressed with four exams, six group projects, and eight papers, I promise that you will get through it.
Don’t procrastinate. Give yourself plenty of time to do your work and always try to get it done as soon as you can. Getting your work done early will eliminate a lot of stress and will allow you to have a more enjoyable time when you’re out having fun.
Always do the extra credit. Even if you don’t “need it” at the moment, at the end of the semester you might wish you have done it. It also looks good to your professors because they can see you’re willing to put in the extra work. This can also be helpful at the end of the semester and you’re half a point away from the next letter grade.
Ask questions, participate, and visit your professors. Professors love it when you engage in their class and when you really seem to care about the material. Professors also love it when you visit them during office hours; it shows you really care, aren’t afraid to ask for help, and are really interested in what they have to say. In a big lecture class, make yourself known to the professor because they will be more likely to help you out in the future if you need it. Building relationships with professors will help you when you need letters of recommendation or if at the semester you need a little extra boost to get the grade you want.
You’ll regret taking that 7:50 am. Unless you are a morning person, taking a 7:50 am class will be rough. Even though you are “used to early classes” this is on a whole new level. That being said, take it anyways.
Don’t skip out on church. Although it may be hard to wake up every Sunday morning and go to church, don’t get lazy with your faith just because mom and dad aren’t around. College is all about growth and is a great time to grow in your faith. In my first year of college, I was able to discover God in ways I hadn’t before. Take advantage of this opportunity! Get involved with your church on campus and make sure you make time to pray. Giving time to God will help you when you are struggling.
Enjoy eating home cooked meals while you have them. The hardest part of college for me was the food. While I’ll admit I am a picky eater, cafeteria food is nothing compared to a good home cooked meal. Eat all of your favorite foods while you have it and always request your favorite meals when you come home on breaks.
Do EVERYTHING. I went to so many random events last year, just because the school offered it, and I wanted to see what it was. Do it. I had some of the best experiences going to these events, and I really got to see so many things college life has to offer. You also may find something you really like or want to be a part of. Plus there’s usually always free stuff which leads me to…
Take advantage of free stuff. There is free stuff EVERYWHERE. At every event there’s probably something from food to t-shirts because who doesn’t like free stuff?
Live in the moment, but take pictures of everything. College only happens once, and you will want to remember everything. Living in the moment and taking pictures of everything is about finding the right balance. Don’t miss out on an experience because you were filming or taking pictures the whole time, but photography is a great way to capture the moment, and you’ll love looking back on your college times.
It’s okay to not know what you want to do with your life. Congratulations to those of you who have your life completely figured out. I promise that you really don’t. College is the perfect time to figure out what you really want to do with your life and also find your purpose. You’ll probably hear that it’s okay to not have it all figured out yet a million times, but it’s true. Don’t stress about the future, live in the now, and everything will fall into place.
Time flies. Your freshman year will go by in the blink of an eye. And every senior will tell you, before you know it you will be graduating.