Dear Freshman-self on the First Day of Senior Year,
I know you didn’t sleep a minute your first night in the dorms, but you’ll have plenty of time to nap later. Although others doubted you for staying in your hometown for college, you 100% made the right decision in choosing the University of Kentucky. You thought your newfound self and attitude post-high school was about as real and mature as they come, but I promise so much is going to change in the next three years. I could tell you a thing or two about how it all plays out, but for now, here’s a few pointers.
Please study something you love and not what someone else thinks is right for you. I’ve come to realize that college degrees matter- but less than you think. Having a piece of paper that says you sat still in one place* for 3-4 years, attended your classes, and did okay on all your exams will get you a job post-grad. Studying biology when you’re really interested in photography and classical languages will make the alleged best four years of your life a nightmare when you’re studying DNA chains until 4am the night before finals. Finish school, but don’t let yourself get lost or undervalue your personal interests. They have merit, as do you.
*Study abroad. Heck, do the National Student Exchange and live in another US city for all I care. Challenge yourself, your language proficiency, and stretch your budget. The international experience will not only set you apart when begging for a job after graduation, but will teach you more about yourself and your comfort zone than you could ever imagine. This isn’t to say you should spend every dime you’ve ever earned on a program – do something within your reach, apply for every scholarship under the sun and make this dream you might not yet even realize is a dream come true.
I’m not sure why you’ve paid for any food this week because there is literally free food everywhere for you. Use your meal plan and don’t let that money go to waste even though it was paid for by your scholarship. As bad as the dorm showers are now, UK has big plans that will make your living situation a little more comfortable in the coming years, and definitely make you appreciate your first apartment more than anything. You do not have to go to every fraternity party that texts you a list of their drivers on Thursday nights. Although you didn’t listen this semester, I foresee you never having class on Fridays again. How are you making money? I know babysitting didn’t work out too well, but you’re going to need some income if you want Spring Break to happen. Start looking at campus jobs – there is ton of easy money out there waiting for students willing to sit in an office for 2o hours a week to take. Treat yourself every now and then with a weekend trip or a new purse – college isn’t all fun and games.
Don’t lose touch with your high school best friend. If she’s across the country or in the lofted bed 4 feet from you, tell her how much you appreciate her and never let that bond die. As sweet as the idea of marrying your “high school sweetheart” can be, don’t prevent yourself from meeting new people, date without having to come home to your parent’s house, and don’t ever knowingly choose long-distance during the next four years. You’ll miss too much of what’s happening around you and spend too much time thinking about yesterday or three weeks from now rather than the present. One day, you might be scrolling through a bunch of tools on a dating app, and find the person you might spend the rest of your life with. If you want to join a sorority, do it. You’ll never know what it’s all about until you see for yourself. There are some major misconceptions and truths for every stereotype you hear. Promise me you’ll invest in the people and the sense of community the chapter provides rather than the false sense of social status or elitism Greek life can and does provide on campus.
Your 21st birthday will come soon enough – you don’t need a fake ID. Hanging out at house parties and basement gatherings for two years won’t kill you, and may help you forge a new group of friends. You might even stay in a night or two and realize alcohol isn’t part of your best college memories. Keep your new friends as friends and forget about the potential “benefits” – it doesn’t work unless you’re a robot. Have you opened a credit card yet? You’re going to need some credit when you try to finance a fancy camera when your blog starts taking off. Did I mention there is free food, scholarships, and job opportunities everywhere? Open your eyes and look. While you’re at it, apply for that second degree you’ve been considering and do it early. You might graduate early, and minors are honestly a waste of your time.
It’s possible to say no. Say no to the 50th campus leadership position you’ve been offered if it’s something you truly don’t care about, or you’ve got too much on your plate. Say no to the creepy Senior in your Spanish class that asks you to watch “Netflix and chill”. For reference, Netflix and Chill usually looks more like Netflix and Beer and Bourbon and Mad Mush Cheese Sticks and “Can I kiss you?” Ew, no. SAY NO. Say no to the job that pays minimum wage for too much work when there’s one out there that will offer you $10/hr. Say no to the $300 pair of shoes that you can’t even stand to walk to and from class in, say no to driving to class or work when there’s a foot of snow on the ground, and say no to people and situations who make you uncomfortable (not in the healthy way) or jeopardize your morals and goals.
Saying yes will also lead to some of the best opportunities of your life. Say yes to a night of dancing when your flight home from your education abroad program leaves at 5am. Say yes to the friend who asks you to take a Zumba class at the gym, and yes again when she asks you to skip the cheese sticks and go to Kroger for a salad kit. Say yes to living with someone you might have never considered in the past, and say yes to 2am milkshake runs just for the sake of driving and listening to Drake. Say yes to free concert tickets, to family dinners and gatherings, and say yes to those small favors professors ask like delivering their course evaluations because you never know when you’ll need a letter of recommendation. Say yes to weekend road trips, yes to the bid card you receive, yes to adopting the sweetest puppy you’ve ever laid eyes on, and a confident yes to your Lyft driver who asks if “your friend is going to make it home without getting sick”. Say yes to spontaneously changing your hair color, yes to the selfie at the bar that you’ll cherish years later, and yes to the last boy anyone ever expected you to date.
College can last more than four years, but you’re going to realize that people and opportunities will pass you by if you don’t get your life together and graduate on time. Allow yourself to consider new perspectives that challenge your entire upbringing, take a class you never thought you’d be interested in, go to one last frat party post-turning 21, and never, ever stop singing Taylor Swift’s “22” because on the first day of senior year, you have no idea how “happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time” you are going to feel.
All my love,
Sarah Alexandra
