A Freshman's Thoughts Before College

While college move in is right around the corner (a week from yesterday), there are still many things I need to consider before starting college. Trust me, I am just as nervous and anxious as the normal college freshman and I have yet to find my own routines and develop my own time management skills. 

I am so excited for what's ahead: the experiences, new people, new places, and just having the freedom to make my own choices. Especially when it comes to using my time wisely. This won't be set in stone or anything and I clearly have no wisdom for this because I haven't even moved in yet. However, I feel like all of us new freshies have some type of routine or mindset when it comes to how much we want to actually study or actually workout in college. Amirite? 

In college I hope that I can create a routine that I am comfortable with and can deal with while staying on top of my studies. Personally, I do want to stay focused and not dilly dally through college winging most of my exams and projects--that's just not how I have done things, at least through high school I never did. Sure there will be low points and I will get through it, and hopefully I can reflect on this post and say "Oh, yeah you totally rocked it and graduated" at the end of college. I know that routines change and people change, too. 

Ask Yourself, "Who Do I Want to Be?" 

Obviously the answer should be YOU. I'm not asking you to change into an alter ego or anything, but consider what type of person you want to be and what morals or beliefs you want to have or keep. I know going into college I might be exposed to alcohol, parties, drugs, boys, all that stuff. Decide before going into it or at least think about types of situations you can be exposed to and how you can make the safest and most YOU decision. I can't decide for you and I know my opinion can't really sway anyone from going to a party when they should be studying--I ain't yo mama. I know that I want to be safe and also enjoy the experiences, while also having fun and keeping up on my studies. 

Having Some Self Control

Something as simple as the abundance of food at college can seem like Heaven on earth, but did you really need that extra bag of chips? Or that bowl of just-okay soft serve? I think the main thing I am kind of scared about is tuning into self control and knowing when enough is enough and how I should really be making healthier decisions. Instead of binge watching Netflix, maybe take a 20 minute run instead. Or even watch The Office while you run! 

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

I am in this little safe bubble in my town and everyone knows where they are and who their friends are, and to be honest, I am so ready to meet new people. I have been with the same class for about 13 years and I am so ready to see new faces and also new cultures. I want to join different clubs and get involved on campus, too. I want to really get the most out of my college experience and I am sure many freshmen do too. While I have no idea what to expect, I am ready for a new start and new activities. 

There's a lot more going on in my head right now as I begin to start school and I am sure that I will keep writing about my experiences on here when I start. I thought this might be helpful or somewhat relatable to freshmen in college or maybe seniors trying to help a newbie out. If you can take away one thing from this, then I would encourage any new freshman to consider what type of person they want to be seen as or they want to reflect off of others. It's a "fresh" start for all of us, so maybe it's time to be more open or contribute more? There's a whole list of things you could do to make sure your next four years are the best four years. 

Also, I have no idea what my blogging schedule will be like when I move in or start school, so please bear with me for the next couple weeks. I would like to keep it the same as it has always been, but I will for sure be back with great stuff! I hope the transition is smooth and I am able to post regularly.

And to senior Natalie who is probably reading this, I hope you have continued to be the best you you can be and hopefully you graduated. Also, if you would like to discuss freshman topics or simply offer an opinion on becoming a new college student, please share! I'd love to hear your thoughts :)