Welcome to my 17 pieces of advice for college freshmen that I wish someone had told me.

One of the most exciting times in my life was my freshman year of college. I was leaving behind my home, my state, and everything I knew for a journey in a new place, and I wanted it with every bone in my body. What I didn’t know at the time was that some of the hardest things I was going to go through in my young life were also waiting for me on the other side. Starting a new chapter is like jumping into an environment thriving with catalysts for growth, and sometimes the growth is so prominent or plenty that it’s hard to process in real time. 

Advice shouldn’t take the place of experience. A lot of people have gone to college, and so a lot of people feel credited to give advice to those about to start their journey. Apparently, I’ve become one of those washed-up fools about to give unsolicited advice. Amongst the “it goes by so fast” and “prepare for the best four years of your life”, incoming freshmen get an earful in the insight department. If you’re on the receiving end, take what resonates with you, leave what doesn’t, and go blaze your own trail. 

If you haven’t read 21 things I’d tell my freshman-year self, check it out for some more personal nuggets of advice for college freshmen. Without further ado… here are my washed-up words of wisdom.

17 Tips for Your First Year of College:

1. Set boundaries with social media.

Less screen time means more college experiences and time in the moment. My favorite way to limit my time on social media is to delete the apps on my phone and check them on my computer if I really feel the need to connect. Check out Instagram Gives Me the Ick for some inspiration on how to ditch social media.

2. Who you are on social media doesn’t matter.

Unfortunately, there are people who will value who people are on social media over who they are in person, especially in some Greek life orgs. If someone judges you take it as a blessing and move towards better energy; you don’t need that kind of negativity in your bubble.

3. Be nice to everyone, but don’t expect the same in return.

You also don’t need everyone to like you. Do you like everyone? No. But you can be nice to everyone. 

4. Don’t talk about people behind their backs.

If you find you and your friends are defaulting to gossip when you’re together, try to change the subject. There is so much to talk about, talking about classes, hobbies, books, coffee, or your hometowns, since there is so much that makes your first year thrilling. Trash talk shouldn’t take the place of sharing excitement about your first year. 

5. Sit next to the person sitting alone.

Having a friend or ally in a class can completely change your semester. Most people enroll in classes without a friend, so sit next to someone on the first day, exchange contacts, and help each other out for the semester. There’s no harm in asking if a seat is taken!

6. Go to freshmen events.

If your school puts on events for first-years, go to them. You never know where you’re going to meet a good friend or discover a club on campus that you’ll love or learn a valuable experience. The more things you do in the beginning that scare you, like attending something alone, will help you overcome that fear and see what’s on the other side.

7. Learn how to budget.

College is a privilege. There are people with extraordinary minds born into limiting circumstances who will likely never be able to attend college. Those of us who get the opportunity to have a college education are very lucky. That being said, this privilege is represented in vastly different monetary backgrounds. My school had many kids, from those on full scholarships to those whose parents donated whole buildings to get them enrolled. Your friends will be spending and talking about money in many different ways. It’s important to begin learning what money means to you and where you want it to go rather than always going with what you observe. Working out a budget is empowering; it can give you insight into your values and be the stepping stone to a future of investing and saving.

I worked a job all through college; some of my friends have never worked a day in their lives, and some have worked even more than me. Having a job while managing school and sports and clubs was challenging but empowering. If you are working through school give yourself grace and respect the money you worked hard to earn.

8. Wear what you want to wear.

Trends are nice for feeling comfortable in a crowd, but if you spend so much time chasing other people’s fashion, you’ll be chasing a road that leads you away from your identity. I lost my sense of style in college since I was so far and disconnected from my roots; I was easily influenced by what others wore. Staying true to your style will also help you save money since you won’t feel the need to buy new things to chase a sense of comfort. Wearing what you love is the ultimate comfort!

9. Learn how you like to do your hair and makeup.

Feeling pretty for the first time changed the entire way that I feel about myself and approach the world. It took one of my friends, whom I looked up to, to tell me that I was pretty for me to actually see it for myself and have a newfound confidence. Thank you, Catie, ily. Check out Breaking the Beauty Mold for some inspiration.

10. Leave your clothes at home—at least most of them.

You don’t need as many clothes as you may think, especially girls, and bringing more than you need is not going to make your first year better or more enjoyable. Unless you’re making big trips to the donation center after each term, you will bring your belongings to and from the rooms you move in and out of all through college. Having less makes your life easier in the long run. Leave behind nice clothes too, except for the things you’ll absolutely need for a formal dance or presentation or something.

11. Get rid of the clothes that don’t fit.

Your closet is supposed to change as you do, and clothes that don’t fit who you are now should find new homes. Same with clothes you don’t wear anymore. You should wear the clothes that you love while you love them, instead of saving them or putting them on a pedestal in case they get damaged; if you wait too long, you won’t love them any more!

It’s okay to wear the same things over and over again if that’s what you like to wear; it’s a triumph of discovering what you like. I personally can wear the same few tops and bottoms on rotation and feel limitless. You don’t need to have a new shirt or dress for every occasion. Slow fashion, like thrifting, can give some insight into what you truly like to wear.

12. Learn your sharing boundaries.

If you and your roommate or new friends all have different definitions of what borrowing clothes, supplies, etc, means to each other, you will run into miscommunications. If you aren’t comfortable lending out some or all of your clothes, communicate that boundary sooner rather than later.

13. Skip class.

If there’s a reason to. If your friends are taking a day trip or if your club is having an event or if the weather is amazing and you want to be outside, do the thing. College is about more than the experience you get in the classroom. You may even be more motivated to do the makeup work or studying after allowing yourself that freedom.

14. Go to class.

You know what a valid excuse is for skipping class, yet a lot of people validate the wrong things and end up getting behind or missing out. Don’t sleep through class, and don’t go just to browse on your computer. Go to class, pay attention, and fuck around after. 

15. Commute unplugged.

It’s tempting to go on your phone and/or listen to music while walking to and from class, and you’ll definitely see a majority of kids doing this. Your commute is a prime time for your brain to take a break and mull through all of the intake it just went through. You’ll notice that using this time to let your thoughts wander will leave you refreshed when you get to your next class. If you want to wear headphones for the solitude when walking amongst the pack of commuters, wear them without sound. Unplugging during the day can also help with sleep, check out this post for information on that.

16. Wear a watch.

This helps you stay off your phone while staying on time. I wear a shark watch, and you can use my code EARTHANDEMMA10 for 10% off your purchase.

17. Learn to love yourself.

Being exposed to new people from new places can give us a different perspective on ourselves and how we see the world. This can make it harder to be kind sometimes, but also more rewarding. At the end of the day, you’re all you’ve got. Be your #1 fan, speak kindly to yourself, and overflow to others.

College is a roller coaster, so hold on tight and cherish it all. Congratulations on this milestone, and have a great year:)!

Send this post to someone you know who’s in college or about to start. I know I needed some advice through all of my years at school.

If you’re also a washedup college grad, comment a piece of advice you have for all of the new freshmen out there!