1. Buying books from the bookstore.
I'm not trying to judge here, but are you really planning on highlighting that brand new textbook? If not, save $400 and rent it for $50.
2. Calling your parents every night.
Again, I'm not judging. But having a pre-planned phone conversation every night at 10pm really limits you in terms of spontaneous adventures with new friends.3. Only hanging out with friends in your dorm.
No matter how small your school is, there are at LEAST a thousand undergrads for you to get to know. Don't limit yourself by staying inside your small, comforting dorm bubble.4. Forgetting the importance of cleaning supplies.
The most invaluable thing you can bring to your college dorm is a bucket full of Lysol, dust wipes, and one of those tiny handheld dustpans. This is because you will likely be the only one in your dorm smart enough to think of this, and your space will be spotless and ant-free (take it from me).5. Being too uptight.
College isn't for the faint of heart. Yes, you will learn a ton academically. Just as important (or even more so) are those social lessons that you'll carry with you through your whole life. So get out of your comfort zone and start talking to strangers.6. Getting WAY too loose.
College is a vast well of pure freedom. There may be campus security and RA's to get around, but college freshman are well known for being very sneaky. I'm talking rigging a pulley system to pull a 12-pack of beer from the side of a dorm building up through a second story window kind of sneaky. Just be careful not to get too loose, too quick. It's no fun waking up in a puddle of vodka + Red Gatorade that may or may not have once been in your stomach.7. Mixing your alcohols (!!!!!)
So, I may have made this mistake every single time I went out, through all four years of college. At least I've finally learned it by 23 years old. If you're going to drink, you're probably going to be pressured to drink a lot, and a lot of different things. If you want to save yourself a feeling similar to death the next morning, stick to one kind of alcohol. Tequila Tuesdays. Wine Wednesdays. You get the idea.8. Not taking advantage of free events/free stuff.
Especially at the beginning and end of the year, there are usually a lot of free actitivites for college students. Outdoor concerts, carnivals, festivals, comedy nights... the works. Take advantage of these fun, FREE things while you can because student debt is four short years away and no one is going to be throwing you an Autumn Fest for free in the real world. You will never be too cool for free stuff.9. COMPLETELY letting yourself go.
I will brag for a second and say that my college dining hall was ranked one of the top 3 in the country. It was buffet-style gourmet food. It was fucking unreal. When you have a meal plan like this, you have to exercise your strongest willpower and self control. Like, maybe go crazy the first week, but then dial it back. Find the healthiest options, go wild at the salad bar, always get grilled chicken.10. Getting locked out of your room.
This happened to me SO MANY TIMES (and not just my freshman year...). I am an easily distracted, forgetful person who always confidently skipped out of my dorm without my room keys. It definitely helps to have your roomate, RA, and hall supervisors phone numbers on hand - it only took me like three years to learn this.I don't usually like to generalize, but if you're an old fart and out of college like me, I feel like there are some points here we can all relate to! Freshman year is an unbelievable learning experience and I really believe that the best way to learn is through making mistakes.
What are some mistakes you learned from your freshman year?
Leave a comment, it means so much for me to actively engage with anyone awesome enough to start a conversation on this blog!
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