5 Ways To Survive Your Freshman Year Of College
By June Howard
1. Get involved
No, really. This is not some cheesy “your college friends are forever friends” kind of thing. I am sure they are your forever bffls, but the reason you should get involved is for your own sanity. If you do not have a friend group to complain to, college will really be the worst. You need that someone to bond over how gross dinner in the cafeteria was or to one up on how hard your class schedule is (you know you do it.) These are the people who get you and get the reason why you are randomly crying or sleeping next to a random electrical outlet to charge your phone because your class is too close to walk back to your dorm (a nap is a nap.) In college there is seriously a group for everyone and even if you can’t find something, pick up a new hobby and go for it.
2. Ice cream
That’s right. Yes freshman 15 is a very real thing, and so is your intense desire for ice cream at 3 in the morning. YOLO. Just eat it. No regrets. Disclaimer: There may possibly be regrets in the morning when you wake up, but worry about that later. You deserve it.
3. Good sense of humor/ outlook on life
Yeah, the same day that pot roast is offered in the cafeteria is the same day that you will have slept through your alarm, forgotten your first paper, the weather will be 30 degrees and sprinkling and you and your boyfriend just got into a fight. Instead of making that into a horrible day, email your teacher and explain the situation, go treat yourself to a really unhealthy, yet utterly delicious meal, binge watch T.V. shows with attractive men and cuddle yourself in your fuzzy blanket and fuzzy socks and realize that tomorrow the sun will return and your 8 a.m. will still be there. Life happens.
4. Don’t question when the free food Gods bless you with free food
One random Tuesday I was walking through our common area and I sat through a program about STDs in exchange for unlimited chicken tenders and sodas. It was a good Tuesday.
5. Keep in contact with your parents
Seriously, if they weren’t your best friends before, they are now. Anytime something exciting happens they are pretty much the first people I want to call and I talk to them several times a day. They do not get annoyed when you complain about the same thing over and over and they still have the best advice so please, talk to your parents.