Top 5 Things I Wish I Had Known Freshman Year

By Leah

Remember freshman year? How scared you were? Nervous? So determined to make all the right decisions? Don’t you wish someone had handed you advice on what you should actually know before going into college?

Well, our good friends over at College Magazine compiled 100 postcards by upperclass students, sharing something they wish they had known while in their freshman year. And here, at CollegeCandy we consider ourselves experts on college life so we wanted to add in some things we wish we had known.

1. It’s okay to change your mind. We’re not all that mature or worldly during high school. It’s okay to change your mind if you hate your major or your school. It might only be four years of college, but it’s worth choosing something that will keep you happy the rest of your life.

2. It’s okay (and often better!) to do things on your own. So you really want to join a club or play on an intramural team, but you’re feeling too nervous to go alone. If you wait around for someone else to join you all the time then you’re always going to be waiting. So go to that club meeting or sign up as an individual for capture the flag. Without your safety blanket friend, you’ll be forced to meet new people and hey, maybe you’ll even make a friend. There are of course some exceptions to this rule, such as going out drinking or other situations when it’s best to maintain the buddy system.

3. Try and get a job on campus. If your campus offers work study positions apply for them! The hours are flexible around your schedule, they already know when exam periods are so will work around your need to study and usually pay more. These jobs could range from shifts at the gym, to doing campus tours, to helping out international students.

4. Find your study groove early on. Not everyone can study in their room, especially if they have a roommate. This is why it’s important to find out where you work best early on, so you don’t spend all four years constantly looking for a good workplace. You’ll also thank yourself later on in your degree if you’ve figured out time management in your freshman year.

5. Know when to spend your money and when to save. If you learn how to budget your money and when to say no you’ll inevitably end up with more money at the end of the year. Every cheap beer or coffee accumulates to equal a lot of money. It’s all about moderation; skimping on everything might pay off financially in the long run, but sometimes on a really bad day, you need that Starbucks Latte. But remember you don’t need one every single day. It’ll be easier to justify traveling or taking an unpaid internship if you have money left over from the year.

Reach more advice right here at College Magazine! Then tell us what you wish you had known freshman year.