Considering that I just mapped out my classes for my final semester at KWC, I feel that I am more than qualified to give advice to underclassmen (or my peers). I have navigated my way around Kentucky Wesleyan College since August of 2017. I moved to Owensboro from a small, drive through town called Madisonville, KY. Here is where you will find all of the high school heathens hanging out, socially distanced of course, at the local Sonic or Lowe’s parking lots. Trust me, it is truly “Small Town USA”. I moved to college full of anxiety, worry, and low confidence. I didn’t know a soul on the KWC campus, which then forced my former antisocial self to blossom into the chatty Kathy that I am now.

College can be hard and the longer I was in school I realized that getting an undergraduate degree is not for the weak. I had always been the top of my class throughout my public-school years and I continued pursuing the best grades possible through my college years. Needless to say, I lived in the library most nights of the week. I like to think that most incoming freshmen have the same view of what college is like based on the movies, but I hate being the bearer of bad news. So, to lighten the mood, here are some tips to hopefully add some peace into your life:

1. Call your parents at least once a week. It may sound stupid but just as you probably cried yourself to sleep after your first full week of school, your mom cried just as hard when she dropped her baby off on move-in day. Talk to your parents, let them know that you’ve made friends, that you love (or hate) sharing a room, and most importantly tell them you miss them.
2. Go to the on-campus events. Okay it may not be cool to you and your friends but honestly, they give away awesome prizes. BONUS: They always have free food. Free food is good food and you should live by that.
3. Make ground rules with your roommate. I cannot stress this one enough. Living with a stranger is hard but living with your best friend is much harder. It never fails that your best friend is a slob and leaves week old McDonald’s bags on her (or his) desk while you’re a clean freak. It is totally fine if you like to stay out late at night to hang out with your friends! But if your roomie has work in the morning and you barge in at 3:00 AM, she has every right to be loud and noisy at 5:00 AM when she is getting ready for work. Just work out the kinks early on before it gets to be the middle of the semester and you lose your best friend over who was supposed to take the garbage out.
4. Studying is not that serious. Contrary to the popular belief, you shouldn’t let school rule your life. This is the time where you are allowed to do stupid things and blame it all on “figuring it out”. Your first taste of independence is sweet, but it can also be very bitter. Have self-control on too much fun, but don’t overwork yourself. Live it up! Being 18 is a strange mix of feeling like you have to be an adult but getting treated like you’re a child. It’s all about balance. Go to class and do your homework, but also go bowling with your friends once week. You deserve the opportunities you are working towards, but you also deserve a break.
5. Make friends with your professors. I know it’s hard to believe, but they have completely different lives outside of KWC. Get to know them and simply ask how their day is. It will make all the difference to them when they see students who actually take time to get to know them. Who knows? You might become besties! Crazier things have happened.