Remember My First Year in College
As I close in on the end of my master’s degree, I’ve been thinking about the start of my educational journey, almost ten years ago. I’ve now gone through three levels of degrees – associate, bachelor, and now master – but it feels like only yesterday I enrolled in College 101 at my local community college. I can still picture my first year vividly in my head.
I can feel the sticky, worn-down keys of the computer lab keyboard beneath my fingers. The dryness of the hamburger from the campus kitchen that no amount of ketchup could save. I can still picture the face of the financial aid representative that helped me ensure I could afford my tuition and textbooks. And the voice of my least favorite professor (ironically, the one that put me on the track I stayed on until now) still haunts my dreams on occasion.
While I enjoyed my years in school, there were things I wish I would’ve done differently. Thinking back, I see missed opportunities that would have helped me grow and connections I should’ve made. With what I know now, I would’ve changed a lot in my first year and the years following.
But that’s all a part of life. We live and we learn. I don’t regret my educational choices, but I can share what I learned and what I would say to my freshman now.
Advice I Would Give to My Freshman Self
I was not a first-generation college student, so I had some idea of what to expect from college. Yet, I decided not to follow the traditional path that my father or other family members did. I wasn’t planning on staying on campus or joining a sorority. Instead, I lived off-campus, commuted every day, and stayed mostly to myself. I held two jobs, sometimes three, and took online classes when possible. Basically, I did what made sense for me and my needs.
Truly, my first year and most of my college experience was uniquely mine. I crisscrossed majors and minors, followed what interested me, and probably annoyed the administrative staff and my advisors quite a bit. In the end, what began as a mostly science and math-driven journey turned mostly creative. The me who pictured herself as a surgeon probably hates the current me a little. But these things, I would never change.
Keep reading to learn what I would change.
1. Don’t Overdo It
First, I would try to convince freshman me to stop doing so much. I can’t recall how many overload petitions I submitted. Twelve credit hours weren’t enough for me. I’d go for fifteen or eighteen every semester, trying so hard to graduate early. As a result, I’d walk around campus like a zombie, having to spend at least one night each week without sleep to stay on task. I was already working a minimum of two jobs and sometimes had to write an essay in between helping customers.
In the end, I did not graduate early. There were no benefits to taking these extra courses. All I got was a fresh wave of exhaustion each semester. So, it goes without saying, I would tell myself not to overdo it, to try to enjoy college more, and let myself off the hook.
2. Stop Stressing About Your Grades
I remember the heartbreak I received when I received a B or even an A-. I would obsess over the grade, see how it affected my final, and check to make sure I could still get an A overall. Yes, I was that student. And I wish I hadn’t been.
Realistically, I had to care more about my grades than the average student. My enrollment was made possible by a scholarship that I received from my grades as an associate degree student which required that I maintain a high GPA to hold onto those funds. But I took my anxiety to another level. I couldn’t handle bad feedback or even a slightly bad grade. I was by no means a straight-A student in high school so where this extreme fear came from is beyond me.
Ultimately, if I could tell my freshman self anything, it would be to, more or less, calm down. Part of learning is failing. If I came into college knowing everything and being perfect already, then why would I need to go to college?
A bad grade often shows us an opportunity for growth. Whether it’s an issue with writing, comprehension, or just motivation, we did something to earn that grade. Of course, it hurts to put in hours of effort just to receive a C. But it’s not a comment on who you are as a person, your value, or your overall intelligence. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out how we expected, and that’s okay.
3. Accept That You’re Going to Change Your Major
Most college students change their major at least once. In fact, around 75% of us change majors during our educational journeys. But I went above and beyond the average. I didn’t change it just once or twice, but eight times over two or three years. From medicine to early childhood education to psychology to forensics and more, I was all over the map.
But like many other students, I had no idea what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Most people aren’t ready to make a big choice at the ripe old age of eighteen. Especially not in their freshman year, when everything is new. It shouldn’t be a surprise that so many of us try out different majors as we learn about the world and ourselves.
Yet, when I finally figured out which major I wanted to pursue, I had the hardest time letting go of the other ones. I tried a double major, a double major with a minor, and then one major and a double minor before I let go and pursued a more traditional track. Now, I would tell myself to just let go of those programs as soon as I realized they weren’t for me. If I had, I would’ve saved myself a lot of time and effort on courses I would wind up never using.
4. Nothing is Set in Stone
Most college students change their major at least once. In fact, around 75% of us change majors during our educational journeys. But I went above and beyond the average. I didn’t change it just once or twice, but eight times over two or three years. I started my freshman year thinking I would study medicine. From there I moved to early childhood education to psychology to forensics and more. Truly, I was all over the map.
But like many other students, I had no idea what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Most people aren’t ready to make a big choice at the ripe old age of eighteen. It shouldn’t be a surprise that so many of us try out different majors as we learn about the world and ourselves.
Yet, when I finally figured out which major I wanted to pursue, I had the hardest time letting go of the other ones. I tried a double major, a double major with a minor, and then one major and a double minor before I let go and pursued a more traditional track. Now, I would tell myself to just let go of those programs as soon as I realized they weren’t for me. If I had, I would’ve saved myself a lot of time and effort on courses I would wind up never using.
Final Thoughts
Now, I have a job I love, fun and friendly coworkers, and a house of my own. I’m thankful for that difficult and unexpected change. But I know that both the world and I are constantly evolving. I love what I do now, but my position has changed and grown with me over time. I plan to stay here, but my plans have changed so many times. I can’t help but think back to myself in my freshman year of college.
Ten years ago, I couldn’t have imagined myself where I am now. That makes me wonder who I’ll be ten years from now and about all of my plans she’ll ruin and the things she’ll wish she could have told me. And honestly, I hope she has a lot to say.
Lakewood University
Lakewood University is an accredited online school that offers a variety of degree and certificate programs. We have rolling enrollments and asynchronous courses. In other words, you don’t have to worry about missing a lecture or running late to class, which makes your freshman year a lot easier to begin. If you plan on enrolling in college while working, Lakewood University offers the flexibility you need to earn your degree.
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