The Dos & Don'ts of Your College Freshman Year

Freshman year flew by. Come back, come back, I whisper to it. You will find yourself at the end of it contemplating all the laughs and memories you've had. Clarissa and I have compiled a list of advice and mediocre wisdom for incoming college freshman. 

1. Don’t send the president of your university a letter signed by “your peasants” 
2. If you get your TA’s number, call him. A lot. 
3. The best way to look your best and still eat what you want: Eat really bad but satisfying foods BUT go to the gym all the time. 
4. DO get involved with your campus television station (even if that means holding a camera in place for an hour and a half) because the people you will be working under will move to LA and work for Ellen, E! news, Buzzfeed, etc.
5. DO go to parties, even if you’re uncomfortable. - C
6. DON'T go to parties, especially if you’re uncomfortable. -Z
7. Don’t leave a party 5 minutes in and walk across town to a coffee shop without telling your friends. They will be mad.
8. DO stay up till 3 a.m. in lounges with your friends. 
9. DO make friends with the ones who look “weird.” They have the most interesting things to say. 
10. DO support on-campus food trucks.
11. It’s best not to find your professor attractive, even if he is. 
12. DON’T post on social media that you find him attractive. His daughter might see and feel weird.
13. DON’T panic if you see your professor at the gym. 
14. DON’T feel bad for changing. That’s what college will do to you. Embrace it and remove those from your life who shame you for growing as an individual. 
15. Spend some time people watching. 
16. Take drives to scenic areas and take a break. 
17. If the universe presents the opportunity to talk to a cute boy, take the opportunity. Or else you will be single and alone at the end of the year.
18. DO go on sprang break with the best people you know. 
19. If you can skinny dip outside of a presidential candidate’s home, do it.
20. Meet and become friends with at least one person from every floor in your dorm. 
21. Make friends with people from housing & dining (Carter), & always be gracious when they serve you mediocracy in the form of food.
22. If you see a person eating alone, sit with him and be his friend. He might know the person who you really like, and it can be a great in. 
23. Make your dorm room homely; it doesn’t have to feel like a jail cell. 
24. Everyone will tell you before you leave that boys will flock to you when you get to college. DO. NOT. BELIEVE. THEM. They lie.
25. DON’T go into college with ANY expectations. You probably won’t make 100 new friends and boys will not fall instantly in love with you. It’s just not likely. 
26. Be comfortable being alone. 
27. Call your mom a lot.
28. Find your favorite local coffee shops and shower them with your constant business. They will love it, will remember you, and you’ll make cool friends.
29. When you see a puppy, PET IT.
30. If you have the opportunity to have sleepovers on your friends floors, do it. 
31. Always be nice to and respect your RA, and they will love you. It’s best to be good friends with your RA. 
32. In winter, you’ll need to wear every warm item of clothing you own so that your unbearable trek across campus won’t end in frostbite and hypothermia. 
33. BE FRIENDS WITH CAMPUS SQUIRRELS.
34. (In reference to #38) dress in layers, especially if you go to school in Colorado. You might leave your dorm with the sun shining and breeze lightly blowing through your greasy hair, and then it’ll be snowing when you get out of class.
35. Be okay with gaining 5-10 pounds - you’ll need extra blubber in the winter anyways.
36. DON’T complain about gaining weight. It is inevitable and there are way more important things to worry about. 
37. GO TO CLASS. GO TO EVERY CLASS. (Sorry, Horticulture 100 by Harrison Hughes)
38. Even if you wake up with sniffles and a broken back, you best get yourself to you 9:30 a.m. class. You don’t want to lose participation points. This is the real world.
39. When you schedule your classes, try to make all of them after 11 a.m. 
40. Parties are not like they are in movies. Guys aren’t that creepy, either. Everyone is usually very nice. 
41. Avoid frat houses. 
42. Always wear sunscreen, as you’ll be outside plenty.
43. Always have a full stock of disinfecting wipes, trash bags, kleenex, and toilet paper. 
44. Start a Spotify playlist at the beginning of the year and see how your music taste has changed by the end.
45. You’re allowed to be creepy, this is your time.
46. Now is the time to be out of your comfort zone.
47. If you feel the urge to yell sweet nothings at a passerby, do it. 
48. Take every opportunity to have intelligent banter with those around you. They’re worth more.
49. Try to bring your car with you, even though everyone says you don't need it. You might want to escape to the mountains every so often. 
50. College is pretty funny, especially when everyone takes themselves so seriously. So find the humor in most things because it'll fly by. 

Follow these rules and you'll be on the dean's list