Dear Class of 2023,
Congratulations! You’ve successfully made it through four years of high school amid tough classes, demanding schedules, and that pesky global pandemic.
As you celebrate the end of one chapter and look to the next, we thought it would be helpful to offer you some advice on your first year of college. But you’re probably tired of parents and teachers warning you not to skip classes next year; not to live off of a diet of pizza and microwavable macaroni and cheese; and not to be too social. So we’re skipping the adult wisdom and sharing advice from actual college students.
Recently, we reached out to some of our former clients and asked them to reflect on their first year of college. We were blown away by the thoughtful responses and the fantastic advice they were eager to offer on everything from class schedules to friendships to dorm snacks.
Seniors, we hope that these words of wisdom will help you, and we look forward to sharing your advice next year :)
ON MAKING FRIENDS:
“Prioritize making good friends! The people you surround yourself with can make or break your college experience. When you’re picking who to live with and who to hang out with, choose people who cheer you on (and who you’re willing to cheer on) and make you better.” - Jenna, UVA
“Something I wish I knew before going to college is how important those first few weeks are to making friends. People tend to be extremely friendly and open to anything the first couple weeks of school. But soon it feels as if people start to shut down and stick with the people they met in the first two weeks. So I would recommend putting yourself out there and saying yes to everything in the beginning. Everyone is in the same boat in the beginning. Taking advantage of the first couple weeks will make you feel a lot more comfortable.” - Addie, Penn State
“To have a friend, you must be a friend. This is a lesson my parents have told me for nearly 20 years, and now I can confidently say they were correct. In high school I was always in awe of the kids who were friends with everyone; and I mean everyone. I wondered how they did it and why I was never that student. I mean I had plenty of friends, but not that many. Upon going to college, I realized that all it took was the eagerness and confidence to be the first one to say hi, to ask “can I sit with you.” Everyone wants to make friends and have people to sit with — don’t be afraid to make the move. I’ve been using this strategy for 4 semesters and it always works! This is for clubs, classes, libraries, dining halls, etc. I’ve met some of my greatest friends by having the bravery to ask to sit with them!” - Anne, UVA
“It can seem clicky in the beginning, but nobody really knows anybody that well. Don't feel like you are behind.” - Nick, Villanova University
“When it comes to making friends, the first people you should get to know are the people in your building. Having a group of people who live in the same building is a great way to make new friends quickly, and it will allow you to meet new people. As the semester goes on, you may continue to be friends with this group, or you may find new friends. No matter what, having a group of people to start off the semester will help you find your place.” - Andriy, UVA
ON ADVOCATING FOR YOURSELF:
“A lesson I learned the hard way was definitely learning how to advocate for myself. I remember during my first month of school I slept through my first test. I emailed my teacher frantically, but he didn’t respond. Panicked, I didn’t know if I should wait for his response. Instead, I took matters into my own hands and went directly to the testing center and asked to take the test, even though I was late. They let me take it and my teacher never had to get involved. In college, it is up to you to fight for yourself. You will have to seek out help to get it.” - Addie, Penn State
ON GETTING INVOLVED:
“Take your time getting involved, but get involved. During my first week of college, I went to a club fair and signed up for probably 12 different email lists. Nearly two years later, I have still not attended a single meeting for any of those groups. Some of it was social pressure, some of it was academic pressure, and a lot of it was excitement. I wanted to take advantage of all the opportunities that were presented to me. I quickly realized, though, that I didn’t have much of an interest in investing my time in these random clubs when I would rather dedicate myself to adjusting to a new school schedule, making friends, and exploring a new city. Ultimately I ended up slowly adding extracurriculars after spending a lot of time thinking about them — I didn’t get involved in anything until second semester. Now I’m actively involved in three groups that I’m really passionate about. There’s no rush to join things that you don’t care about; take your time finding what you’re truly interested in.” - Anne, UVA
ON ACADEMICS:
“Keep your options open. When you are signing up for classes, you probably won’t get every class you want. Make sure you have backups and sign up for waitlists (even if they are really long). Be aware that the schedule you create before enrollment will not look like the one you wind up with. The process can be frustrating, but if you come in with the expectation that you won’t get everything you wanted, you will be able to make the most of it and maybe even find a new passion. Also, don’t take too many classes your first semester because you’re going to be in a whole new environment and the last thing you want is to have crazy amounts of work right when you get there.” - Andriy, UVA
Go to class (95% of the time). As someone who had a very strict attendance policy in high school, the idea of no apparent repercussions for skipping class was so exciting. Like what do you mean I can sleep in and my teacher won’t care?! While this may be true, the decision not to attend classes will come back to haunt you, probably during final exams week. And as all of the adults in your life will tell you, we are going to school to learn. This is an amazing privilege that we get to take part in. You’re gaining access to such knowledgeable professors and classmates, which is something to take advantage of. BUT there are some days when you have a major test to study for that afternoon or it’s 80 degrees and sunny in the middle of winter and it is just so impossible to get yourself to class. Allow yourself 5% exceptions because those are just as important.” - Anne, UVA
“Get on top of your work early. It doesn't get easier.” - Nick, Villanova University
ON HOMESICKNESS:
“Something that made the transition to college a lot easier was doing things that reminded me of home. Whether that would be watching a movie that I remember fondly from my childhood or making something for dinner that my family would have at home. Moving to a new place, especially a new state, can be a bit of culture shock. Finding people from your hometown is a great way to feel more comfortable in a new place, especially because you guys are in the same boat. Also reaching out to family members is an obvious but effective way to feel more at home.” - Addie, Penn State
ON DORM ESSENTIALS:
“Bring some kind of shoe deodorizer. You walk so much and those things STINK. And you do NOT want to be “that roommate with the smelly shoes.”- Jenna, UVA
“Make sure you have cough drops, some sort of cough medicine, and plenty of tissues. I would say that you are almost certain to get sick sometime, especially in the first semester, and it is nice to have exactly what you need in your dorm room instead of asking a friend or having to get to a store by yourself while you are sick. Also don’t forget snacks for your dorm.” - Andriy, UVA
ON HAVING FUN:
“Never choose homework over an ice cream run. Ice cream is worth it every. single. time.” - Jenna, UVA
“People always tell you that “college is the best four years of your life.” That may be true, or it may not be. But don’t put too much pressure on it. Accept the wild highs and heartbreaking lows, use your time and resources wisely, and don’t take life so seriously and you’ll have made the most of these four years.” Anne, UVA