Well the time has come, you have left high school, and now it’s time to step up to the plate in the big leagues, College.

A lot is expected out of you. Your friends expect to hear amazing stories about your first weekend of complete freedom, your parents expect to hear reports of strenuous hours spent in the library, and you expect to find yourself being capable of balancing school, health, and a flawless social life.

I hate to break it to you, but looking back now as a senior, it’s not going to happen. You’re going to doubt your major, fail exams, endure sleepless nights, and at times feel like your social life is in shambles. However, I’m here to tell you that it is OK. Freshmen year can give you courage, break your heart and teach you more about yourself than you ever thought it could. You will make new friends, grow apart from the old ones, find new hobbies, or even pick up a bad habit. But trust me, embrace every single moment of it, before you know it you’ll be a senior wondering where the years went. I’m here to tell you, it’s okay to miss home, change your style, or even lose yourself for a little while. If there is no point in your freshmen year that you’re not uncomfortable, you’re doing it wrong.

As cliché as it all might sound, I mean every word. Be crazy, adventurous, and enjoy this experience of a life on your own.

Now I’m going to tell you a few things that you must try while you’re here at Monmouth College (do them as often as you can)

1. Attend the ASAP events- They rock!
2. Eat Penny’s eggs, religiously good
3. Spend ALL your flex on Einstein’s Bagels
4. Get the Alan Special from Los Ranch & Alfano’s College
5. Go to home football games
6. Go all out for Homecoming- spirit shout, parade etc.
7. Go to Cry Baby Bridge with a Group of friends
8. Go to the Holiday Banquet (there’s a chocolate fountain)
9. Give your self a mental health day per semester
10. Take a class that is outside your comfort zone
11. Join an organization/club

Good Luck!

Haley Thompson
Contributing Writer