Written By: Jeanette Morelan
Hi everyone!
I’ve also been a little nostalgic…which is why I’m bringing you seven things I learned as a freshman that I still find myself thinking about this year! Here we go!
1. Free is good. Free is very good.
So just because I happen to be living in a penthouse palace {seriously, it’s crazy-gorgeous} does NOT mean that I’ve abandoned the “broke college kid” mentality. The first week of school I went grocery shopping and suddenly realized that, unlike my childhood days, I simply cannot toss every pack of Oreos and chips in my shopping cart, because at the end of that magical trip I will have to end up paying. For all of it.
Ramen never looked so good…
2. Never stop making new friends.
Sophomore year is supposed to be when everyone gets over their “oh my gosh I’m going to die alone let’s be friends” phase. And while I totally agree and am devoting myself this year to being deliberate about the relationships I’m currently in, I also believe that we are constantly growing and need new people in our lives to grow with! This weekend I was honored to become a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, and now am looking forward to meeting hundreds of my new friends AND sisters. I could honestly not be more excited.
3. It’s all about balance.
I’m not talking about perfecting those crazy yoga-poses that I’ve seen some girls in the Fitness Center doing. In college you have lots of free time—but you also have LOTS of ways to spend that free time. I’m talking work, extracurriculars, going to concerts, random dance parties, adventures in Nashville, movie nights, dances…and wait, I guess I’m here to get an education too! Not only am I obsessed with my Lilly Pulitzer agenda, I also am trying my hardest to make time for the things that are most important in my life, which brings me to my next point…
4. Never forget where you come from.
To be honest, college can be a really great time to reinvent yourself, and I encourage it by all means. But that doesn’t mean forgetting who you are and the people who got you there. To be honest, I really should have called home more last year! Regardless of whether you are just starting college or are a big grown up in the grown up world, your family misses you. And you miss them. So call them often and write them letters and maybe they will send you cookies in the mail or something. {Or, if you’re my dad, this rockin’ American flag for my room!}
5. Take a walk on the wild side.
I’m not talking about Girls Gone Wild or anything like that {let’s keep it classy, ladies.} I’m just saying that you have a kind of freedom in college that you never get again. So if there’s a spontaneous dance party in the caf, go bust a move. If there’s a concert that you’ve been dying to see and the tickets are really expensive, go broke and go for it! {you can always live by rule #1.} And if someone challenges you to find a Skittle in a pie pan of whipped cream…throw your pride aside and rock it. You never know what crazy experience will turn into a story that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.
6. Let go and let God.
I’ll be honest. Not every day in college is sunshine and rainbows. There are days when you are going to feel completely miserable and like you’re failing at life. There are days that you’ll doubt whether you were ever meant to go to college. During these times, it’s important to realize that everybody goes through trials and periods of self-doubt. It’s what makes the good days and successes so much sweeter. So take some time to find perspective, trust that the Maker’s got a plan in every struggle or bad day, and understand that in the end everything will end up the way it’s supposed to be.
7. Have a freakin’ wonderful time!
You only go to college once. Okay, maybe that’s not true. Maybe you’ll love college so much that you’ll have collected every degree in the book by the time you’re 93. But regardless of whether this is your first or fiftieth time, college is an incredible experience. It’s a privilege that many don’t have. It’s a time to grow and develop yourself in ways that you can only imagine.
Regardless of what year you are or where you attend, have a HAPPY COLLEGE YEAR, from me to you. 
For more blogs like this, visit http://theblessedlifeofjeanette.wordpress.com/
Copyright © 2014 University Primetime | Site by Kevin Ross
