My
first year of college definitely had its ups and downs, but I can say it has
been one interesting year of my life… So here is some stuff I learned the first
year of college that will hopefully help me throughout the rest of my college
year, and the freshman going in:
1 When
you have to do laundry for the very first time without mom around, and you call
her to ask if something can go together… she will start laughing get used to
it.
2. Mom
will always be 1 phone call away, when you are having a bad day. Yes, you still
have bad days in college and yes you will want your mom.
3. You
will get sick of the cafeteria food; you will savor the moments you go out to
eat with friends but the moments you will most savor are when you go home and
get “real” home cooked food.
4. If
you’re anything like me you will cry when you’re overwhelmed with school, work,
and whatever else is going on with your roommates, family, or your
relationship.
5. Watch
out for the fresh 15, or as we called it at SUU the t-bird twenty; the junk
food will get to you eventually.
6. So
to keep of the fresh 15 off get a gym buddy and eat healthy. Trust me the gym
time and gym buddy will be one of your favorite parts of the day if you have a
gym buddy as awesome as mine. (:
7. Going
home to see your family and best friends from high school is the best feeling
in the world; you’ll always go a little over the speed limit… to get home
faster.
8. Your
roommate does not need to be your best friend either does your suitemates; but
you do live with them. So be nice to each other, and have roommate dates they
are a fun thing to look forward too.
9. You
and your roommate could be a lot alike, and have some weird obsession with
music like you do. Trust me it makes for some pretty fun dance parties in your
room.
10. If
you have a car and live close to campus, it is nice to offer to take people to
Wal-Mart with you because honestly half the people you live with won’t have a
car and will really appreciate it.
11. You
think a trip to Wal-Mart will be a 10 minute trip tops, usually you will be
there for at least an hour. Enjoy it!
12. If you live in a small town like I did my
first year, there isn’t a whole lot to do, make your own fun. Taking trips to
St. George for Cold Stone ice cream will always put a smile on your face.
13. If
you don’t absolutely love it, or need it don’t buy it…
14. The
people you live with will become like family, and I mean everyone you live with
not just the people who are in your room.
15. You
will get annoyed with the people you live with, smile and walk away so you don’t
say something you will regret later.
16. It
is possible you will fight with your roommate do the above statement or you
will regret it later. I do know from personal experience. If you do fight with
your roommate let it cool off before you talk again.
17. Thing
will happen that put you out of your comfort zone get over it fast. It will
happen at least once a day.
18. There
are things that even mom and dad can’t fix learn to live with it, life is not
perfect.
19. Your
big brothers will also only be a phone call away, I bet they appreciate talking
to you as much as you do them.
20. Don’t
put anything in the community fridge without putting your name on it, it will
be eaten or drank. The possibility that it will get eaten or drank is still
there even if your name is on it.
21. Better
yet, have your own fridge. Your roommate will love you for it.
22. Pushing
your beds together to have a big bed is awesome, especially if your roommate doesn’t
stay in your room that often.
23. You
will make new friends who help you out a lot throughout the semester, but your
old friends are just as great. Keep all of your friends close, just stay away
from people who try to hurt your feelings they are not worth your time.
24. Your
boyfriend will still make you mad like he did in high school, but he will still
take care of you when you are sick and make you laugh so hard you cry.
25. Your
RA may seem strict, but they really aren’t. Mine was always laughing and you
could always figure out where she was just by her laugh.
26. If
you have a job like I did, you will try to do your homework at night when its
slow, but just expect that at least 10 of your friends will come and sit down
there for a while and you will not finish your homework.
27. The
library is great; you will do homework in there. Just stay away from the
computers or bringing your laptop if you can so you won’t waste time on Facebook.
28. Yes, Facebook is still a thing you waste time
on… but in college its much worse when you Facebook stalk all your friends from
high school. Everyone does it, trust me.
29. You
will take random trips whether it be home, Vegas, or St George.
30. Do what you want, make all the memories you
can. This is prime time of life.
31. If
you’re Mormon you will talk to some of your friends about how we are trouble on
society because we aren’t married yet.
32. A
lot of your friends will start getting married; you will start to think some of
your friends are crazy.
33. Learn
from your mistakes, and don’t regret your decisions. It was what you wanted at
the time and it will only make you stronger.
34. Going to bed early isn’t impossible… but it is
highly unlikely.
35. Sometimes
you and your roommate will have a girls day, and eat ice cream and watch chick
flicks. It’s always a good time.
36. If
you’re anything like me, everyone on your floor will call you Momma Shay (but
your own name) and come to you with their problems and eat your chocolate. (:
37. Boys
will be your best friends, especially when they know everything about cars. Plus,
they don’t like drama so they are much easier to talk too.
38. It
is possible to get a 4.0 you have to be determined, and reward yourself. But don’t
stress yourself out to the point you call your mom crying if you don’t think you
did well on a test. (Yes, I did do this a lot, and yes I do need to stop
stressing out so much.)
39. The
boys across the hall from you first semester become your best friends, and you
spend a majority of your time watching them play video games just so you can
hang out with them.
40. You’ll meet people from all over the place,
and even live with some of them. The culture difference is really interesting.
Some of my best friends now come from Vegas and we couldn’t be more different.
(:
41. You
go as long as you can without doing laundry so you can try to take it home.
Free laundry is the best, and so is good shower pressure.
42. Your
bed at home is your favorite thing ever, and your mom usually finds you asleep
on it an hour after you get home.
43. If
you move far away from home it is scary, and a big change but don’t forget
everyone around you is doing it too.
44. Don’t
expect to get something if you didn’t try for it, life doesn’t work like that.
45. People
will be straight up with you, get used to it.
Because I’ll bet your being pretty straight forward yourself.
46. You
will give up on trying to look cute, make up is the least of your worries.
47. Reading
a book for fun especially the hunger games this last semester was something you
see a lot of people do. (:
48. Free
stuff makes every college student happy, because it is normally food or a
t-shirt.
49. You
learn that some things just aren’t for you and some people will get mad at the
choices you make.
50. Learning
that you’re an adult now, and sometimes it’s hard is frustrating but so worth
the trip. So ENJOY IT!
These were just some of
the things I learned at SUU my first year of college, I could probably go on
and on but I won’t. The most important thing I learned is your family will
always be there for you, but you have to do what is best for you. Even though
SUU isn’t the place for me the people I met help influence all my choices, and
helped me grow as a person. As did the friends and family I still had from home…
So even though I can’t wait to start my new journey at the University of Utah,
it’s now time for me to end the one at Southern Utah University.
