5 Great Lessons I Learned during My Freshman Year in College

College as a whole was very different from what I was used to. It was refreshing and exciting but it was concerning. The processes and routes in it was baffling to me but despite this, I was able to realize many things. As I was going through my freshman days, I learned many lessons applicable to the realities of life. And for this post, I`ll share 5 out of the many good things I came to know.


1.) Independence and initiative is a necessity.

In college, instructors, guardians or counselors won`t always remind you to do important tasks. You have to know your way around and the whereabouts of the school. In this case, being independent can be a great thing. Independence doesn`t mean that one doesn`t need help. Having independence is having the responsible and mature attitude that you can do things without depending most of the things to another person. You should have the initiative to do things as needed.

When you`re at school, it doesn`t mean you have to keep to yourself. You just have to be aware that you are now on your own and you won`t be treated like a young child anymore. People in college will most likely view you as a grown-up person.

2.) Communication is vital.

Communication with other people in college is very important. By talking with others, you`ll be able to gain more knowledge about the whereabouts of the school and their programs, organizations, classes and events.


Don`t be afraid to ask, inquire or approach employees, professors or other school staffs. Approach people nicely and politely. Don`t be ashamed because you`ll probably make it harder for yourself and more embarrassing if you don`t kindly ask what you need to inquire. You might just get yourself in trouble if you don`t do things just because you`re afraid to communicate with people. Just remember that now is the time to grow more, and to do this, you must exert effort to be more of yourself to really bring out your potentials.

3.) Build bridges instead of walls.

Socializing with other people doesn`t necessarily mean you have to exert so much time and effort to the point where you barely have time for yourself. Having many acquaintance and friends can be a really good thing in college because these people might somehow help you in the different areas of your life. Having good connections will not only help you during your college years but it might help you in your career after you graduate college.

Be yourself and try to be friendly with the people around you. You don`t have to attend to so many parties and events just to meet people. Although attending events is great, you can meet nice and positive people in your classes and organizations. Be careful though, not everyone can be trusted, trust only those who can be trusted. In college, you`ll meet different types of people with different backgrounds so don`t  forget to be cautious in choosing who you trust.


4.) Participation in school activities is significant.

Participation in school plays a very important role in developing yourself. Participating in school activities will also help you to meet great people and learn new things.

Don`t be shy when it comes to participating in class discussions, activities and other school events. Learning, growing and developing are some of the reasons why you`re in college. In order to get the most out of studying in college, step out further to your comfort zone and create new experiences for yourself that will help you have a successful career.

5.) Be Yourself

Some people that you might meet in college can really be intimidating. Whether it`s because of their social or economic status in life, or because of their physical appearance, high educational background or intellectual capacity, never let those fears get you down in fully developing your inner and outer selves. Be confident and real. Do not hide yourself no matter what you have in life. You might find some people intimidating at first but you might realize later that they`re actually way different than your impressions of them. So always remind yourself that you can also be just as good as them no matter what the differences may be.

After freshman year, there will be even greater things that we can learn. Therefore, we should make the most out of the experiences we get while in college so we can bring out the best possible person we can be.


I hope you learned good things from the lessons I shared with you in this post. What have you learned during your freshman year in college? I would love to know your experiences. You may share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have a great college life! ♡

If you have any comments, suggestions, requests, and/or questions, you may leave them in the comments` section of this blog post. Thank you.