Hello, freshmen. Ah, the things I would do to go back in time and relive these past four years. Some of you may have grown up in Los Angeles or the surrounding areas; some may be coming from across the country or even another country. Well, here’s the cool thing: you’re all new here. So, let me give you the freshman year of college survival guide.
First things first, get excited. You’re in college!
You’ve been waking up at 6 a.m., going to school in your hometown with the same people five days a week for nine months out of the year, for the past 16 years of your life. Now, everything has changed — unless you still want to wake up at 6 a.m. I know I won’t.
It feels like everything is changing, because you are now living on your own, learning how to budget, making new friends and, of course, taking classes that are preparing you for your future career. This is a very exciting yet scary time for everyone. It’s okay to be nervous. It’s okay to get lost on campus. It’s okay to get homesick and it’s okay to not know what you want to study. Every emotion flooding through your body right now is normal. If you’re feeling scared at all, please remember that everyone else is feeling the same way. Most people left their hometown, family and friends to come here to LMU. Everyone is trying to make new friends, explore the area and try new things. That’s what college is about! So, get excited about this journey and be bold. Talk to people in your dorm (or not in your dorm), join clubs that look interesting, go to sporting events, try delicious food (or even terrible food) and just have fun.
Try to get involved in the student community because joining clubs is so important, and extremely fun. There are an endless amount of clubs you can join here at LMU, and if you don’t find one that interests you, then create it! College is about innovation and imagination. Try new things, try old things and put all of your effort into them. You will make a ton of new friends within the clubs that you join. Don’t be afraid to ask returning students what clubs they’re in and how to sign up. We are a Lion family and are here to look out for each other.
Another thing I want to talk about is staying true to yourself. Some people come into college with the idea of being a certain type of person. I want you to take that idea, write it down on a piece of paper and shred it. Don’t change yourself because you feel as though you have to. Trust me, you will change a lot in college, but the changes should be in your control. Don’t change yourself to “fit in” with a certain crowd. You will make friends who are very similar to you, and also very different from you. Be yourself and do the things you love. I promise you will find people who will be accepting of that and do the same.
This is very important, and if you’re going to listen to one piece of advice, I want it to be this: never feel pressured to do anything you aren’t comfortable with. Listen, there are going to be parties in college. You may not know everyone at these parties, and you also may not know what’s in your cup. Please, do not leave your friends alone, and don’t let your friends leave you alone. I know you may not be best friends with these people yet, but be an advocate for yourself and for the people you came with. Don’t do things just to “be cool”, don’t try things you’re unsure of and, please, do not pick up a drink that has left your hands.
Listen, college isn’t just about partying, even though we sometimes wish it was. We also have to learn and go to class. That being said, time management is your greatest frenemy. If you don’t manage your time properly, schoolwork can be very overwhelming. The best thing to do is to stay organized. Once you plan out your studying and assignments, you’ll then get a better idea of when you’ll have free time. Also, if you feel as though you’re falling behind, don’t be afraid to reach out to your professors and advisors. I promise, not all of them are mean and scary … maybe some. I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Don’t worry, they are here to help us. During my freshman year, I was nervous to reach out to my professors, because I thought they were going to get mad at me for not understanding the topic or annoyed because I had to miss class. Listen, most teachers don’t really care about that stuff. If anything, they would rather you reach out to them because it shows that you care. This amount of coursework and material is new for you. You’re not expected to know it all – what you are expected to do is try your best and seek guidance.
Continuing the talk about academics, most of you are probably stressed about picking a major, or maybe some of you know exactly what you want to do. But, I have some good news for you … it doesn’t matter! Throughout your next few years at LMU you are going to be taking a wide variety of classes. Some, have to do with your major, and some, have nothing to do with your major. Don’t feel pressured to know exactly what you want to do after college, because, as I said before, you’re changing. You’re growing every single day, and trust me, your interests are going to change. Maybe you will keep the same major all four years and be super happy with it and that is fantastic. However, try to step out of your normal area of interest and take classes you’ve never considered taking before who knows, you may even find a new passion. You may not know what you want to major in, and that’s very normal and can even be beneficial. What’s nice about being undecided on a major is it gives you more room and freedom to explore all different types of classes.
You don’t need to look too far ahead. Remember, you are the most important person in your life. Don’t push yourself too hard, everything may seem a lot harder than it actually is. Every student, professor and advisor is on your side and wants to see you thrive. Enjoy the present, and live in the now. This is a new chapter in everyone’s book, and you get to write yours.
If you have any more questions or advice on these topics, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Click here to submit anonymous questions that you would like advice on.
Here are more articles that could answer some of your questions:
The Wise Lion: Balancing school and social Life
The Wise Lion: How to cope with new decisions and your mental health