Lessons from Lehigh: A first year survival guide

As I navigate the final days of my time as a Lehigh student, I wanted to take the opportunity to shed some light on what I view as the most important lessons I’ve learned throughout each of the four years I’ve spent here — and what better place to do it than the publication I spent much of my four years working for? 

While it seems like a long time ago now, for this first column, I’ll focus on the lessons I learned as a first-year. 

Lesson 1: Just say yes. 

While it may seem daunting, and you may be tired, it’s important to be open-minded and say yes to everything during your first year as a college student. 

Even if you think you might not enjoy something, give it a try. If I hadn’t said yes to hanging out with my floormates and a group of boys who lived downstairs on my first night at Lehigh, I wouldn’t have met some of my best friends.

Before coming to Lehigh, I also thought Greek life was the most superficial, nonsensical thing anyone could participate in, and I wanted absolutely no part of it. However, I said yes to giving it a try, and it changed my life. I met my best friends and my true sisters who I couldn’t imagine my life without.  

Lesson 2: Stay true to who you are.  

While college gives you the opportunity to reinvent yourself, it’s essential to stay true to who you are. Trying to change yourself to please other people is exhausting, and you will find yourself struggling to form authentic relationships if you aren’t presenting your true self. 

Trust that you’ll find the people who love you for you. 

Lesson 3: Keep up with your hobbies. 

You will have a lot of free time, so pick up a new hobby or continue practicing one that you already enjoy. The hobby I chose to keep up with was writing. I joined The Brown and White to fill my spare time, and I ended up even changing my major to journalism. 

Whether it’s reading, a club sport or chess, keep up with the things that bring you joy. 

Miscellaneous tidbits: 

• Live on a co-ed floor: While it seems unnatural, and your parents might not be huge fans of it, living on a co-ed floor is a formative experience. My floor quickly became my family, with my annoying little brothers living across the hall and my sister living right next door. I am still close with the family I was able to create on my first-year floor, which I think is incredibly special.
• Study on the fifth-floor social side of Fairchild-Martindale Library: It’s just simply the best place to study. It keeps things interesting and makes you feel like a part of a community. Every time I am studying up there, I always see a familiar face.   
• Prioritize maintaining meaningful relationships: You’ll quickly realize who your true friends are from home, as college is the ultimate test of the strength of your relationships. Growing up, my parents always told me I hadn’t even met my best friends yet — and they were right. That being said, it’s important to put effort into maintaining meaningful relationships both at home and at Lehigh. 
• Take a variety of classes: Just take economics — you will need it I promise. It’s so important to diversify your education, and Lehigh gives you the opportunity to explore different interests. Who knows, one class could drastically change the trajectory of your future career. 

While it can be daunting, the first year of your college experience may be the most formative year of your life, and I hope these tips will help ease any nerves and make the transition as enjoyable as possible.