Omo Edition: 10 Things To Know Going Into Your Freshman Year of College

It’s okay if you don’t know what you’re doing, just be freshman.

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1. You don’t need to have it all figured out                                                                    Frankly you’re not supposed to. I think a lot of people go into college and they either have a major/career path in mind, or they’re completely undecided. College is supposed to be this time for us to experiment and figure out who we are, but with the rising cost of tuition, and the escalating competitive nature of university that self-discovery is lost to getting ahead. Ambition and drive are excellent character traits, but if you don’t know where you’re headed and are just walking aimlessly down a dirt path that’s okay. Just keep walking, eventually the path will lead somewhere, just walk take the journey.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
2. YOU DON’T NEED TO HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT                                                       I feel the need to repeat it again because too many people want to plan and micromanage they’re lives. If you want to be a doctor great, have that goal work towards it. But also know that if you don’t know what you’re heading towards, dabble in many things. Take a PR class because your favorite celebrity had the career in a movie, join the newspaper because you like to journal. Just get involved and in time life will figure itself out.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
3. Get off campus                                                                                                                                                                     I go to a school smack dab in the middle of the downtown area of a city, there is so much to do yet many kids don’t leave the “ bubble”. Whether your campus is bordered by a city, cornfield, or is a thriving college town 40,000 strong, sometimes you need time outside of it. Find a spot that’s about 10 minutes or less away by bus, a quite zone. It’s great to have everything located in one central area, however all of that can be consuming and you may want moments where you can breathe and be by yourself without having to run into people.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
4. You may never have dealt with Anxiety or Depression but you may now                                                                                                                                                                                                This comes back to point number one a bit. Due to the high competitive nature of college in combination with a meager job market you might feel like you have to do everything to get ahead. That means getting good grades form the start, joining clubs, getting leadership positions on those clubs, and then interning straight out of your freshman year. The ambition is good, however it can drive you to feel a bit unstable and stressed out. Stress in the number one factor to depression and anxiety issues.  I think all schools are required to have a counseling and crisis center, visit it if you have to. Talk to someone if life gets to overwhelming. I know I was a pretty happy person and was just so confused when I was struck with so much anxiety and experienced panic attacks my freshman year. I didn’t know how to handle it, and waited way too long to talk to someone and seek help. Your tuition already goes to the counseling services, so use them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
5. The friends you make first semester won’t always be your friends second semester.                                                                                                                                                                I already had a group of people and was a part of a community when I got to university. I was in a sport and had teammates that became friends, and I was also in the honors program. However, even that being said 2/3 of the people I conversed with first semester I didn’t second semester. You’ll find many people won’t become close friends. They’ll range from acquaintances to buddies as you go along.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
6. Go to office hours                                                                                                                                                     This is probably the tip that is on almost every one of these types of post but it’s because it’s so true. Learn it now early. I went to office hours my first semester because I knew I wanted A’s. Professors are required to have mandatory office hours, they have to stay. Beyond you just learning the material, building a bond with your professors can only help you because they are the ones grading your papers and tests. Let’s all be honest, anything you have to write for, as in short answer or essays, is subjectively graded to an extent. If a professor likes you and you put in something that’s at least decent, they’ll give you a good grade.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
7. Go to Parties                                                                                                                                                                         You don’t have to drink, but just show up, it's about being social. While you will be underage let us not kid ourselves and act like the 21 year old drinking age is actually enforced. If you want to drink, then drink and party and have a good time. If you don’t want to, that’s fine to. However if you didn’t party in high school then you need to start learning your limits. I think it’s smart to go out with a group and figure out what you can handle. IF YOU CAN NOT HANDLE 6 SHOTS IN ONE NIGHT, DON'T TAKE 6 SHOTS IN ONE NIGHT. DON'T DO IT. If you don’t like the experience of drinking or parties then don’t partake in it again. However as much as you are in college to get an education, partying is a huge part of the social culture.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
8. Learn about sports                                                                                                                                                        This might come off as if it’s geared towards the girls, but it’s geared to anyone who knows jack squat about athletics. Whether you go to a football or basketball power house D1 school, sports usually play a big part in most universities. Learn about the game a little. I can’t think of anything more annoying than being at a basketball game and people are continually asking why the games stopping. You don’t need to be at ESPN commentator level, but just learn the basics. At least understand what a foul is, a first down, and be able to differentiate between what sport has a touchdown and a home run.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
9. You don’t have to be a part of hookup culture                                                                         I have seen so many people, girls and guys, hookup (and hookup doesn’t just refer to sex. I know in high school I used the term solely for that purpose. To this day when people say “we hooked up” I’m not always sure what they’re referring to) and then whine to me about why it dint go anywhere, or the person wont text them back. I think if you’re going to be a part of this “hookup culture” that exists than you need to be consciously aware of the implications of it. You are buying into a system that breeds unaccountability. You guys both mutually wanted some fun, and now that fun is over. When you’re out people might be smart to make comments, but do whatever makes you feel comfortable. In the morning people don’t remember most of the night anyway.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
10. Spend money on the right things                                                                                                                If you are the average college kid without a trust fund, and hundreds of dollars of a weekly allowance from mommy and daddy, you will be short on the cheddar. Even though money will be scare, spend it. I see money as a means to an end, you need to have it, but you also need to spend it. Spend money on experiences, that's how you get the most value out of it. (buying alcohol does count as an experience) Go to a museum, or see some live music, go to a professional basketball game, try new restaurants. Those are the experiences and the nights you remember, not overpriced Starbucks and a bagel. If you're short on money spend it in the right way, and if  you don't have cash, get a job. If I could handle being a D1 athlete, weekly volunteering, an honors program, and a job you can too.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
11. Everything will be different                                                                        You’re going to come back to your town, and whether you feel it winter break, spring break, or summer break, everything’s going to feel a little different. Coming back and living with your family again, hanging out with your high school friends feels a bit different. It’s not necessarily a bad different, but you can tell that certain things have changed within you. College may be incredibly fun, stressful and difficult, or you might hate it. The fact of the matter is though whatever it is to you, it will change you. It sounds really corny but it’s the truth. It’s not that college matters so much, but that the late teens and early twenties do. They are pivotal years of growth and self-exploration.

No matter what all these “things you should know” list say, you will never be able to prepare enough for everything that is going to happen to you. You never know what or who life is going to throw into your path. These are my tips, but most of all I think you have to live. Live freely and with reckless abandon. You can only hide behind young and dumb for a little longer.