My first year of college taught me so so so much. To be honest, it is probably the most I’ve learned in such a short amount of time because of being independent + making my own decisions. I’m so excited to reflect back on my freshman year + recount the top 8 things I learned the most. There were definitely a lot of things I wish I knew my freshman year, but I’m glad I learned what I did + maybe you can benefit from it 🙂

  • Surround everything in prayer

Something that made college so much easier was all the prayer that was involved in it– seriously, prayer changes so much. My family prayed for me often. I had tons of close friends thinking of me. And my church even sent me off in prayer the last Sunday. I saw the effects of prayer like never before: it made moving off to college so much easier, room mates, making friends, academics + so much more go smoothly. Not to say that everything went perfectly, but God was definitely with me in every step. Now, it’s not so much about how many people are praying for you, but rather people consistently praying for you, as well as you turning to God through the process. Pray about everything (from your biggest concerns to the small ones too)+ leave it in God’s hands–everything will be okay.

  • Making friends is WAY easier than everyone says 

I thought making friends was gonna be the hardest part about college, but I was way wrong. Although it is intimidating going off to school with no friends (as in my case + maybe yours too), I soon realized that everyone is pretty much in the same boat: all looking for friends. It isn’t like high school where everyone already knows each other + has their groups. In college everyone is looking for people to connect with + most likely they don’t have a set group of friends. I met people instantly–and I’m even an introvert. At my school’s welcome week activities, people I met would just give me their Instagram/ phone number + we would get in touch. Seriously, making friends is super easy as long as you’re open + nice.

  • Get involved + say yes

Part of what made my first year so special was that I was involved in so many things. I went to almost all the events, went to plenty of sports games, participated in intramurals, attended Bible studies, + so many more things. I’m so glad I went out + did stuff because not only did it make the time more fun, but I met people + created memories. So as you go to college, please don’t sit in your dorm all day. Go to events, especially during welcome week. Even if you’re still adjusting to college life or don’t know people going, force a room mate to go with you or just go by yourself + see who you will meet.  But also, don’t be afraid to try new things. If something sparks your interest just a little bi I

  • You may not find a church right away

Finding a church was one of the hardest things for me. I have only gone to 2 churches my entire life so I was definitely not used to switching churches or what it’s like looking for one. I’m going to be writing a more in-depth blog post on this shortly. But the biggest thing I learned was to not feel pressured to find a church or get involved in it immediately. Please pray about it + don’t be ashamed if you try out a lot of churches. Although it is crucial to find a supporting group of believers where you go, make sure you choose a church wisely + not just because it’s popular or that a lot of people go there or because your friends go there.

  • You are gonna learn A LOT about yourself

I learned so much about myself this year than ever before: my tendencies, my struggles, my strengths, my preferences… EVERYTHING. Living on my own, being in a new environment, making my own choices + having new friends definitely changed my awareness. Get ready for the ride… but please have grace + patience for yourself. This learning will be SO helpful for when you live on your own, get married in the future or even are dealing with family… literally any human being interaction. It is crucial as you grow as a person. (an obsession with the enneagram may have also been a factor in this :p)

  • Early morning classes are not the way to go

As much as you may think you can do 8am classes because of high school–trust me, please don’t. In college you’re on such a different schedule + you never know when friends are gonna want to go out or when you’re gonna pull an all-nighter. I have definitely learned to value my sleep + waking up early is one of my least favorite things. (I’m not gonna lie though, even 9 am is a stretch for me). But I DO recommend stacking your classes. They don’t all have to be on the same day or go through lunch (please don’t do that to yourself either), but for me, I found it was the best use of my time. That way you don’t have a random hour or 30 minutes hanging around, but you can use that time to fully dedicate to studying, hanging out with friends, exercise, etc.

  • Spontaneity is key 

College brought so many opportunities to be spontaneous, whether it was coffee dates, late night chats with the room mate, movie nights, + last minute runs to the store. People are always doing things + most of the time it is spontaneous. As an extreme planner, I definitely had to adjust to it, but now I love doing these types of things. So please don’t pass up these opportunities, but also, don’t completely book your schedule so have to miss it.

  • It IS possible to survive without a car

One of my biggest fears with college was not having a car + not being able to go places or always being that annoying person asking for a ride. But fear not, if you are in the same boat, it is totally do able. First of all, definitely pray about it + ask God to give you friends + put people in your life who can give you rides. But also, it is so easy to find friends who have cars + more than likely, people are willing to have you tag along if they are going somewhere. And it’s more fun to be able to ride with friends. Plus, a nice perk of not having a car is not having to deal with HORRIBLE college parking + paying for a parking permit. 


I’m in shock that my freshman year is already over (+ that it had to end the way it did), but it went by so fast + was one of the best experiences ever. A year ago, if I would have told myself how much I would have loved college, I wouldn’t believe myself… seriously, I didn’t think life could get better. And it will be the same for you!

I hope you could take something away from what I’ve learned + that it can help you in college. If any college students have any advice, please leave it in the comments below for the other readers! And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Best of wishes in college!

Love, Ainsley