1. You may not find your BFFs right away.
Making friends is hard. Like, really hard. And figuring out who your "life-long best friends" are going to be is so unrealistic because you barely know who you are let alone what kind of friends you're looking for. There's no such thing as cliques anymore, you can be friends with anyone and everyone which gives you the liberty to meet new kinds of people. You'll be amazed which people strike your interest and what living next door to someone can create. College friends can become family so quickly. However, I didn't find my BFFs until my sophomore year and looking back, I'm happy for it. Because now I feel that I fit in and the wait was just what I needed. I wouldn't trade them for the world.
2. You'll gain most of your weight because of alcohol.
Of course you're going to drunkenly eat a million extra slices of pizza and gorge on unlimited food in the dining hall. You're going to skip the gym because it's too far of a walk even though you walk all over campus. You'll blame your weight gain on Netflix yet you will completely ignore the gallons of alcohol you will chug on the weekends. You don't really know why you're so obsessed with Natty because it's the equivalent of piss water yet you still drink it leading to more weight gain. As soon as you realize that there are calories in alcohol, you'll learn to stay away.
3. It's easy to fall in love with your friends.
Friendships often times lead to hookups or relationships. Why? Because you start to realize that your best friend is also someone you desire. They kind of go hand in hand. Sometimes you're going to meet someone and not know how to explain how you went from shaking their hand in your dorm a year ago to waking up in their dorm one or two times a week. There's going to be plenty of platonic love and friendships that you're going to form but there will also be a friend of yours that you're going to fall in love with. Even if it only goes as far as a crush. And then in 20 years you're going to be laughing on the couch telling your kids why mom wouldn't give you the time of the day in the beginning because you were too much of a frat guy.
4. Once you skip class once, you'll likely do it again.
I PROMISE. DON'T DO IT.
5. It's okay to move on from high school and leave your high school friends behind.
High School is a leash and I personally believe that 99% of the friends that you had there are people you should leave behind. I only stay in contact with about 5 friends from high school which I think is a lot. I know people in college who are constantly obsessing over their high school memories and friends and to be honest, no one wants to hear about it. High School friends only know you from child hood and I think they prevent you from being independent to a degree. I love the remaining few from my past who have remained true and faithful friends all these years but we're all over the country doing our own thing and we're all still very close because we can come home on a break and pick back up where we left off. I don't have to talk to them everyday. I know there's some of you out there saying I'm totally wrong and your BFF was from high school all through college and I applaud you. But I would have never arrived to where I am now had I discarded my high school persona and friends, and trust me, I LOVED LOVED LOVED high school.
6. You will have a break down and sob to your mom on the phone. IT'S OKAY.
There was a big oak tree right outside of my dorm that I would always walk over to when I was having a break down. It had the perfect metal table underneath and it was secluded from the campus lawn. I remember many, many phone calls being dialed to my mother begging her to come rescue me. I had a really bad freshman year because I was incredibly homesick, I didn't feel like I fit in, and I was unhappy with life in general. So I would sit crying to my mom how badly I wanted to transfer. Today, I am so happy I had that space because it was a comforting spot when there was only stress. And just to let you know, I ended up staying at my university and I miss it constantly.
7. Grades aren't everything.
NO ONE CARES YOU HAVE STRAIGHT A'S. C'S GET DEGREES. MAYBE NOT YOUR FAVORITE INTERNSHIP. MAYBE NOT A SCHOLARSHIP. BUT THEY GET YOU THROUGH COLLEGE AND A GPA IS NOT REQUIRED IN A JOB INTERVIEW. But yes, I have above a 3.0 (otherwise my mom would kill me).
8. You can be whoever you want to be.
Want to dye your hair a crazy color? Do it. Interested in expressing your love for anime? There's a club for that. Picking up a new sport? You have a 24hr free gym membership. Are you gay? Go kiss some boys. Trying for a preppy or grunge look? Switch it up. Is your dream to be in a sorority? Defy the stereotypes. You can be whoever the hell you want to be and no one is going to tell you otherwise. Pick up a new language. If you want to be a stoner who loves alcohol and cheetos, COOL. There really is no one in between you and the person you dream of being. And if you really just want to be a cat lady who just so happens to have a pet parrot, please be my guest.
9. Studying is necessary.
You will fail if you do not study. I repeat, you will fail if you do not study.
10. Books for class are optional.
Please check to see if the book for your plant biology class is optional. Odds are that even if it's required, you'll never open the thing once. It'll be a complete waste of money and you'll sell it back for $4 at the end of the semester. Most of the time you can get by without paying for a book but they are insanely expensive for no reason. After freshman year, I started to refrain myself from buying books because it was a cost that was unnecessary. And if you insist on buying that overpriced book, I'm sure you can find a used one for way cheaper online. Good luck.
