7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to College
An honest list from someone who’s been through it (and survived)!
The summer before college, I had no clue what I was doing. I was about to move somewhere totally new, with people I’d never met, and I was constantly spiraling - Googling random dorm tours, watching “A Day in My Life” videos at 2 a.m., and secretly panicking. I had questions that didn’t show up in any brochure - what’s the vibe like in the dorms? Do people actually go to office hours? What’s it like being a business major at this school versus that one?
Guidance counselors could only tell me so much. TikTok was a hit or miss. I remember thinking - I just wish I could talk to someone actually there. Someone who wouldn’t sugarcoat it. Looking back, there’s a lot I wish I had known. If you’re heading into college - or even just starting to think about it - here are seven things I wish I knew before I got there.
1. It’s OK to change your major.
Freshman year, I was so sure I had my life figured out. I didn’t. I changed my major at least three times - and honestly, most college students do too. It’s normal. I’m here to tell you that it’s ok to change your mind. We make these decisions as early as 18 years old, and we become drastically different by the time we’re 22 years old. You grow. Your interests shift. That’s kind of the point. General eds exist for a reason - they let you explore before committing. And if you’re unsure, talking to someone already in that major can give you clarity. This is a time of exploration. What you’re locked into at 18, you don’t have to be at 22.
2. It’s OK to do things alone.
Take a yoga class. Go to a club meeting. Find a local coffee shop. Most people go to college not knowing anyone, and the sooner you move through that discomfort, the better it gets. You never know when a good friend is around the corner.
3. Don’t compare your college experience to everyone else’s.
The truth is: there is no right way to do college. Your college experience is yours and yours alone, and you have to find what works best for you. Everyone’s figuring it out with you. You don’t need to have a set friend group by week two or know your major by the end of your first semester. There’s no universal timeline, no checklist, and no “right way.” The more time you spend focusing on getting everything right from the start, you lose out on actually experiencing it.
4. You’re going to mess up.
No one expects you to show up to college with your life plan fully figured out. If you’re feeling behind or confused, you’re not. You’re just early in the process. You’re going to mess up. You might register for the wrong class, forget your student ID, or email a professor without the attachment - that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong, it just means you’re figuring it out. Ask questions. Be curious. Let yourself start from scratch if you need to.
5. Your mental health matters more than your GPA.
A 4.0 isn’t worth it if you’re miserable. Take care of yourself. Say no when you need to. Drop the class if it’s too much. No one talks enough about how draining college can be - but taking care of yourself is part of doing it right.
6. Time management will save you.
You can’t manage your time if you keep everything in your head. Write everything that you have to do down. Seriously. Get a notebook, a planner, or even a running to-do list in your Notes app. When you can actually see what you need to do and when you need to do it, it’s way easier to plan your day and not fall behind.
7. Have an open mind.
Don’t decide something isn’t for you just because of what you’ve heard or what it looks like from the outside. Go to a club fair. Go to a rush event even if you’re not sold on Greek life. Attend the meeting even if it’s outside your major. Let yourself be surprised. The more open you are, the more you’ll actually get out of college.