Freshman year is, without a doubt, going to be one of the best years of your life.
It’s bound to be filled with parties, sorority/fraternity functions and nights in the library with friends. Some of these nights you’ll remember forever, others may get lost in a drunken haze, but it’s the year you’ll spend the most time making friends and memories in your adult life.
However, life isn’t as picture perfect in college (as much as sitcoms and movies would have you believe it). While freshman year is fun, it’s bound to be one of the most challenging years of your life in regards to your personal growth.
At the end of it all, you’re going to look back on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and events … and see just how much more maturity you will have gained once it’s all said and done.
1. You (or a friend) will get dangerously drunk
It doesn’t matter who you are, at some point or another, you’re going to either be the one who is puking all over the dorm stairwell or you’re going to be helping a friend who is going through it.
Unfortunately, freshman year is a time when you’ve got to go through these bad nights and horrible hangovers in order to learn some lessons — and your alcohol tolerance.
At some point, you may even have to take a friend to the hospital if he/she is seriously ill from drinking. Make sure you know the signs of alcohol poisoning and that you know where the nearest hospital is. Don’t worry about getting into trouble — most schools have arrangements where you will be able to take in a friend to get help without getting in trouble for underage drinking. You will need to take this seriously, because if you don’t, the consequences could be dire.
2. You can’t always get what you want
OK, so I might have taken this from a Rolling Stones song, but this phrase is going to be something you encounter a lot your freshman year.
For the first time, we’re having to fight all of our battles on our own. Our parents aren’t there to help defend us or find solutions anymore.
So if you’re stuck with the worst roommate in the world, you’ve got to find the solution. You’ll have to make the decision if you want to move out or if you’re going to be able to stick it out. You’re the one that’s going to have to decide if it’s time to get an RA involved.
Also, your class schedule is also not going to always work out exactly how you’d like it to, either. Unfortunately, you will probably have to take an 8 a.m. class at some point — and there won’t be a way around it. Some classes are only offered during certain semesters, so you may find that your whole class schedule gets messed up — no matter how hard you try to plan out your four years in advance.
3. Procrastinating will bite you in the butt
I don’t know how many times I had to experience this phenomenon before I finally saw the light (actually, I still may not have fully grasped this life lesson), but it’s going to take one all-nighter before you realize that school has got to come first!
Whether it’s putting off that five-page paper for the whole semester or deciding other things were more important than studying for your midterm, you will encounter this at some point.
And trust me, all-nighters are not fun like they are portrayed in movies. Walking around in a sleep-induced coma the next day is probably one of the worst things in the world. Avoid this at all costs!
