AfterHours: Navigating Freshman Year

Navigating life as a freshman can be a little tricky. There are so many parts to this, but we are going to touch on moving away from home, college compared to high school, making friends, story times, and lastly, some advice we recommend you carry all four years. Talking about moving away from home depending on who you are could be very easy or very hard. Moving in general is a lot, however moving away from your parents and starting to do things completely on your own is another story. You start to realize that you are googling everything and don’t know the answers others expect you to have so you’re caught sending your mom a message about cooking an egg.

Different Perspectives:

Some questions we have here compare the worst and best parts of it all, realizations you had not having parents right there for you, they’re not in the next room anymore. Next, is how college is different compared to high school. The homework load, making your own schedule, and choosing your major which might be the scariest things you have to do. Being told to wake up to being able to determine if you’re going to class is very different because the second the snow starts to fall. Lastly, making friends can be hard whether that’s in classrooms, or forcing yourself out of your comfort zone. It is all worth it, but it can be hard. Break the comfort zone and open yourself up to new experiences, forging connections with individuals from everywhere. From the classmates you bond with over late-night study sessions to the ones you meet in clubs and activities; each interaction is a chance to brighten your life with diverse perspectives and laughter. So, embrace it, say "hello" to strangers, and trust that the people you meet will become an integral part of your college journey.

It will be Alright:

Taking a short break from advice, to hear some funny stories from freshman year is a comedy of errors waiting to happen, and the laughter is just as important as the lessons. Wrap it up by giving the most important advice from us that was learned, shared, or just from wise experience. Navigating life as a freshman is about embracing chaos, cherishing the moments, and remembering that it's okay to laugh at yourself when you accidentally show up to class in your pajamas. Before you know it, you'll be ordering that cap and gown, wondering how you ever survived that first year of college like us. After all, that's what making memories in college is all about! So, here's to freshman year, the year that flies by in the blink of an eye but leaves you with a treasure of memories that will last a lifetime.

Check out these links for some extra advice or other resources!

Someone to talk to: https://www.bsu.edu/campuslife/counseling-center

Finding friends: https://www.bsu.edu/about/firstyear/getconnected