5 Things You Need to Expect During Your First Year in College

In a few years, you’ll probably have to answer, “What did you wish you knew when you were a college freshman?”

But, let’s be real: why wait 4 years to have that realization when you can find out the answer to that now? After all, it’s your freshman self who needs the advice!

Here’s 5 things we wish we knew, and things you won’t have to suddenly worry about like we did!

1. You'll Miss Your Family A Lot

You know what students don’t anticipate most of the time for their first year in college? Homesickness. You spend 18 years surrounded by your family and childhood friends, then suddenly you’re sharing a dorm room with someone from an entirely different state.

The independence and not being nagged to get up at 8 AM on a Saturday is nice, but sometimes, craving the warm and cozy feeling of being at home hits extra hard, you know? When that happens, don’t feel embarrassed about chatting with your family or FaceTime with them! They miss you just as much as you do, and they’ll love hearing about what you’ve been up to. 

2. You'll Need A LOT Of Self-Discipline

Like we said above, the independence of living in a dorm instead of your house is nice and makes you feel more in control of your life. But it’s also easy to fall into bad habits that can affect your health, motivation to study, and even your budget!

When you’re fully independent for the first time, you might start ordering takeout frequently instead of having a proper meal or eating dinner at 2 AM because no one reminded you. And because you’re trying to get used to a new routine, you might start feeling extra lazy about catching up with coursework, thinking you can just do those later and not get scolded for it.

Combat this by planning out a routine and making yourself accountable for it. Have a visible schedule or set up reminders on your phone if you must, and reward yourself every week if you hit your goals. Pretty soon, you’ll develop the self-discipline you need to survive college!

3. You feel better when you dress better

Alright, we know the college stereotype: you’ll be in class wearing your pajamas or something. Or a sweat set. Or anything that says you’re not in class to look good but to learn.

While we love a good sweat set, studies show that fashion affects our mindset! Now, we’re not saying that you should dress like you’re making the halls your runway (even if it is y’all’s runway), but dressing well and feeling good about yourself physically psychs you up for a good day ahead and keeps you motivated.Even if that means spending hours in the library.

So, next time, skip the old pair of sweatpants and start learning how to style your jeans 5 different ways from FashionTok.

4. New people mean you develop your identity more

Did you identify with a certain group in high school? Chances are, that might change a bit in college. Because people from different environments surround you, their perspectives and how you socialize with them might in turn make you learn more about yourself.

Maybe you were an athlete in high school, but now you prefer other hobbies like music or baking. . Or maybe you were one of the quieter students in class growing up, but your college friends bring out a more confident and chatty side of you. College is the best time to discover yourself because you’re starting with a clean slate!

5. You'll learn adulting skills 

Learning how to do stuff like an actual adult isn’t a lone journey. You’ll find that, the more you socialize with older students and even your professors, they have lots of tips for you on surviving college and beyond. All you need to do is ask. 

If you’re worried about approaching seniors, you can start by joining an org or a Greek chapter. That allows you to talk with the older members, befriend them, and learn what they wish they did when they were still freshmen, too! And, honestly, most seniors love helping out and giving you life advice.

If you’re prepared to feel and experience these five things in your first year of college, you’ll have a more fulfilling and productive time freshman year. Good luck!