Freshman Year

What I Wish I Would've Known: College is a Time for Exploration

Between the college application process and the day you move into your dorm, people will tell you a lot of things about what college is really like. Every school is different and is experienced differently by each individual. However, there are a few things I wish I would have known before I started college.

College should be a time for exploration. Many students feel like they need to know exactly what they will major in, what activities they will participate in and what kind of people they will be friends with. You will (and should) grow and develop in college, as your interests will grow and change.

What I Wish I Would've Known: It's OK to Have Multiple Friend Groups

I wish someone would have told me that the same, old high school “clique system” that we are all used to does not apply to college life.

I walked into my new room expecting to become instant best friends with my roommate because it seemed like the perfect setup: You have a live-in, new friend who was paired with you based on “compatibility." You have someone who you can coordinate walks to class with, go to dinner with and sit next to at weekend sporting events. I tried to befriend my new roommate and everywhere one of us went, the other would follow.

What I Wish I Would've Known: Take Advantage of School Resources

Before I started college, I really wish I would’ve understood the importance of dropping a class you’re struggling with as opposed to taking a bad grade. Also adding to that, the importance of taking a tough class during the summer so it’s the only class you are focusing on.

I struggled with math. So while I was making A’s and B’s in my other classes, having lower math grades kept my GPA down and it took me a while to bring it back up.

What I Wish I Would've Known: It's A Fresh Beginning

This week, the bloggers at University Chic will be sharing the lessons they've learned as college students and what they wish they would have known as freshmen on campus.

Advantages to Living the College Life in a Big City

While there are many advantages of attending college in a small town, there are just as many (if not more!) perks of studying and living in a major city.

Having lived in Washington, D.C., for close to two years, I have been able to experience all of the exciting benefits that come with city life. Here are just a few of the perks I’ve enjoyed!

5 Things Your College Won’t Tell You About Freshman Year

Everyone gets the orientation rundown when they come to college, but not everyone gets the facts. What many schools, RAs and orientation leaders fail to tell you are the real survival and adjustment tips for freshman year. In the big sea of students, the incoming class can easily get lost and led astray, which is why it’s important to know the things that your school isn’t going to list in the welcome packet.

How I Made My College Decision

As a transfer student, I never really thought of myself as someone who should give advice on how to choose which college to go to. I made my initial decision based on all of the wrong criteria, and it turned out that the aspects I thought were the most important really should not have had as big of an impact on my decision as they did.

Luckily for me, I got it right the second time around, and I couldn’t be happier with how things turned out.

What to Do When Your Roommate is Driving You Nuts

So your roommate is driving you crazy? We’ve all had those days (or weeks) where you absolutely cannot stand your roommate for some reason: Maybe she left her dirty dishes unattended for far too long, maybe she plays her music too loudly or maybe her boyfriend has overstayed his welcome.

Whether this is the first time an issue has come up or the millionth time, here are some tips for dealing with a roommate who has gone too far.