16 Things I Wish I Could’ve Told Myself On The Very First Day of College

1. Do not be scared to talk to the cute boys across the hallway. They aren’t cooler than you, and they probably think you are attractive.

2. Appreciate how normal your roommates are. Just because they don’t want to go out with you every night doesn’t mean they don’t have big, beautiful hearts.

3. Do not cry. You’re room really isn’t that small in comparison to some of your friends’. You may end up referring to it as “The Cave,” but many great things will happen there. You will write astonishing papers in the early hours of the morning, blaze through entire TV shows on Netflix, and have a few great make out sessions with boys from the second floor in the Cave.

4. Buy more wine and less Burnetts.

5. Do not register for Arabic. You will spend 99% of your time complaining about Arabic, and the other 1% taking the exams. There is no way you will do all the required work. It’s a wonderful language, sure, but it will consume your freshman year. Just please… don’t do it.

6. Walk into rush with an open mind and positivity. Do not be scared, these girls probably don’t realize how awkward you really are.

7. Do not judge someone based solely on his or her letters. You are much better than that.

8. Go to class knowing you belong. You worked so hard to get to where you are, act like it.

9. Do not waste the warm weather inside. Explore the city, go on adventures, get lost. Go take long walks to neighborhoods you’ve never heard of and wander into restaurants you’ve never seen before. You chose this school to be daring, go be bold.

10. It is okay to ask for help. Sometimes, you have to let your guard down to grow.

11. And you will grow. Do not be scared of what you will learn about yourself and others. This is good. 1

2. Give boys a chance. They all aren’t out to get you.

13. The girls you befriend during orientation may not be your closest friends by the time spring semester comes around, but they will provide you with a sense of security during your first few weeks. Appreciate the simple smiles they give you in passing.

14. Make time to read books. It could be Oedipus Rex or Fifty Shades of Grey, either way, you should always be enthralled in a book.

15. Choose a student organization to join with your full attention and energy, pursue it relentlessly.

16. Your friends aren’t the people who pregame with you, who stand outside of club with you or let you have a sip of their vodka cranberries. They are the ones who cook pancakes with you at midnight, who bring you wine and a good movie when you are upset, and who call you over spring break to see how you are doing. Know the difference, and you’ll be okay.