6 things all incoming college freshmen need to hear

So, you're officially a college student. Congratulations!

You've worked hard to get to this point (or maybe you haven't and that's okay) so be proud of yourself. You've earned this!

Alright, as much as I'd love to go on and on with praise, I know you're here for the real talk.

In this post, I’m sharing six things that all incoming freshmen need to hear before they start college.

This post is a mixture of college related tips, advice, and little bits of wisdom from me, a junior at RIT, to you, whether you're just beginning the application process or moving into your dorm tomorrow.

Heck, maybe you're about to graduate college and felt the need for a little extra wisdom!

No matter what point you're at, I truly hope this blog post helps you out in some way, even if just a little bit.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you the best in college and beyond, and let's get into it!

#1: College Is Not As Scary As Your High School Teachers Made It Sound

laptop in library — *Source:* *pinterest.com*

We all had those teachers in high school who warned us that in college, if we turned in an assignment even a millisecond late our professors would practically rip our degree to shreds right in front of us.

Now, everyone's college experience is difficult but I can confidently say I've never had that happen to me, haha!

If like mine, your high school experience was full of teachers warning you how hardcore and scary college was, don't worry. It's not!

Again, everyone's experience is different, but in my opinion, the main difference between high school and college is that once you get to college, you're actually treated like an adult.

In high school, you're treated like a little kid.

Sure, you'll hear your high school teachers tell you your college professors won't hold your hand when it comes to assignments and getting things done.

And that's true.

But not in a way that's scary or intimidating.

Because you're treated like an adult, you're expected to act like one too.

This means managing your own time, getting assignments done on time, and showing up to class, all of your own accord.

It's more responsibility, but it's also more freedom!

A small example is not having to ask permission to get up in the middle of a lecture to use the bathroom.

Seriously, if you asked for permission, you’d get some pretty funny looks. You’re an adult, so you can go as you please!

#2: It’s Okay To Change Your Major, Even Multiple Times

college campus during fall — *Source:* *pinterest.com*

For some reason, when a college student changes her major, she’s seen as indecisive, flighty, or not having direction.

Even more so when she changes it multiple times.

As someone who changed her major twice, I’ve never liked this outlook.

This might sound a little cliche, but it’s insane that we’re expected to know what we want to do with the rest of our lives upon graduating high school.

I mean, I can barely pick out what I’m having for dinner every night, haha!

In fact, I think it’s more common to have no idea what you want to do than to have a solid idea at all.

If you do have a solid idea, that’s awesome! But if not, that’s totally normal. You’re in the majority.

Changing your major isn’t a bad thing. It’s a good thing!

It means you recognized the program you were in wasn’t working for you, and you took the initiative to find one that will.

You took a major step forward in getting your degree, and you should be proud of that!

#3: Imposter Syndrome Is Normal

lecture hall college — *Source:* *pinterest.com*

Almost everyone suffers from imposter syndrome once in awhile.

If your experience is anything like mine, you’re used to being one of the smartest kids in your high school.

When I got to college, I found that everyone was used to being the smartest!

It made me feel like I wasn’t so smart and so deserving to be there after all.

It’s a crappy feeling, but it’s also totally normal and part of the process of adjusting to college life.

You’ve got to tell yourself that you wouldn’t have been accepted if you weren’t deserving of that spot.

You were one of the chosen ones, after all, and that’s a big deal. Be proud, because you’ve earned your place.

If you’re feeling like this at the beginning of the semester, it’s incredibly common.

Most likely, what will happen is as you continue settling into your new classes, clubs, friends, and life at school, you’ll regain that sense of belonging you had to leave behind when you graduated high school.

Just remember to keep going, you’ve got this!

#4: Try One Thing You’ve Never Done Before

college students working — *Source:* *pinterest.com*

Hear me out. I know this might sound a little bit cliche, but there’s no better place to try something new than in college.

College is supposed to be about “expanding your horizons” after all! But that doesn’t have to just mean academically.

It can if you want it to, but you can interpret that in a million different ways.

Have a hobby you’ve always wanted to pick up? Join the related club at your school!

It doesn’t even have to be something you’ve always wanted to do. Try something completely random and new!

You never know, you might find that you’re really good at it and you’ve just found your new favorite hobby.

Or maybe you end up hating it, and that’s okay too. At least you tried something new!

Maybe you don’t find something you love or hate doing, but you find your best friend or life partner in the process. You just never know.

For me, that new thing was playing ukulele.

I joined my school’s Ukulele Club my freshman year just for the hell of it (with zero prior ukulele experience) and ended up absolutely loving it.

I still go every single week to relax and jam out!

#5: College Is A Chance To Reinvent Yourself

cute college dorm room desk area — *Source:* *pinterest.com*

The best part about starting college? It’s a fresh start!

Don’t like who you were in high school? You can change it in college!

Always wanted to try a new activity but were scared of being judged?

College is the perfect opportunity to finally do it.

A brand new environment where you don’t know anyone and no one knows you might sound scary, but it’s a golden opportunity to reinvent yourself however you want.

For me, I wanted to shed that “shy girl” persona I carried with me throughout my childhood, be more social, and be more adventurous.

Instead of saying “no,” I wanted to say “yes” to things (within reason, of course).

Whatever it is for you, there’s no better time to make it a reality than your freshman year of college.

#6: It’s Okay To Take Longer Than The Standard Four Years To Finish Your Degree

college student with headphones working — *Source:* *pinterest.com*

College isn’t one size fits all.

Sure, the “traditional” length of time to finish an undergraduate degree in the United States is four years, but let’s be real - that doesn’t work for everyone!

We all learn at a different pace, and in different ways.

Maybe you don’t need the full four years. Maybe you need longer. Maybe you’re balancing school with a job, or with being a parent.

Maybe a global pandemic completely derailed your college experience!

It doesn’t matter, because at the end of the day, we all earn that degree whether it took us two years or ten.

No matter how you did it, you got it done, and that’s something to be extremely proud of!

Outro & Closing Thoughts

And that brings me to the end of this post!

I’m thinking about making this into a whole series of raw, genuine college advice based on my own experiences as a student.

I think this'll be so awesome to look back on after I graduate to see where my head was at during this period of my life.

I also just love being able to spread advice and positivity to as many people as possible through this blog.

Even if this post helps a single person, that's worth it in my eyes!

So, as you begin college, remember that you are smart, worthy, and have a lot to offer the world, even if you don't know exactly what you have to offer just yet.

And if you don’t, that is 100% okay.

Wishing you the best of luck, from Nikki Lo.

If you enjoyed this post, check out these related ones below:

7 Ways To Romanticize College Every Day (Aesthetic & Motivating)

For handmade digital art prints, icon packs, wallpapers, & more designed by me, be sure to stop by my digital boutique: Designed By Nikki Lo.

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6 Things All Incoming College Freshmen Need To Hear (Real Talk)