5 Things I Learned My First Week of College

1. It is more difficult than I thought
For some reason I always assumed I would get to college and make friends immediately because everyone is in the same boat. Yes, it is easy to go up to someone and start a conversation in your classes or at the dining hall, however you will not have a solid group of friends right off the bat and that has been hard for me after having such a close group of friends in high school. Additionally, I simply miss the familiarity of my hometown and my family, having a shower that is hot and has good water pressure, and just having down time. College is still so new and I do think Elon will eventually feel like home, but the first week is definitely a difficult adjustment.

2. Don't trust social media
Social media is a not a well rounded representation of someone's college experience. It is hard to look at all of your snapchat stories on a Friday night and see everyone having such a "great time" when you are not having your best day. It is important to remember than no one is going to put things on social media to let you know that they are also homesick, or struggling to adjust. Everyone adjusts to college differently and you just need to do what's right for you and try not to let social media impact you.

3. Make your room feel like home
I love my dorm room, it is cozy, happy, and overall just a place I look forward to coming home to. After a long day of classes, or when you just need some alone time, it is so nice to get into your comfortable space, and be surrounded by pictures of your family and friends, and things that make you happy. College is very tiring, so you want to make sure your rest time is enjoyable.

4. There is a lot of homework
College is a lot of work. I feel like this fact is often grazed over when people talk about college. You always hear about all the social aspects, however spending lots of time in the library is not usually mentioned. College is a place where you go to get your degree, so naturally that is not going to be an easy task. After my first American Government class, I had over six hours of work. Although it is not ideal to be spending hours and hours cooped up doing work, if you find a study spot on (or off) campus, you will be more productive and ready to get your work done.

5. Alone time is important
I have never shared a room before, so living with someone 24/7 is definitely an adjustment. My roommate and I get along super well and are on similar schedules, but it is still important to have time to decompress and have some alone time.

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea