UGA: Freshman Year Takeaways

A year ago today, I almost got hit by a car. Upon seeing my acceptance to UGA, I exploded with uncontrollable excitement as I rushed into my room, grabbed a football, ran out into my driveway, and “spiked” the football as hard as I could into the cement. The football went flying across my front yard and ended up i

n the middle of the street. I raced out to get it, still flooded with incredible exhilaration. Little did I notice, my next-door neighbor was driving home from school to check her UGA application status as well (she got in too!). Fortunately, the football, flying out in front of her car, helped her break just enough before I followed it out into the street. Calming myself a little, I gave her a polite smile and wave as I recovered the football and raced back up my driveway, fired up for what was to come.

Now, my freshman year at The University of Georgia is a month away from completion. In some ways, it feels like I just finished walking across the stage at my high school graduation ceremony. In others, it seems like it’s something I’ve been doing for years. During the first month of the school year, just about everything I did and everywhere I went was new to me in some way. From exploring fraternities and various campus ministries, to adjusting to life in a new city, I was constantly learning new names, faces, and places. As a result, the first month felt much longer than any other time during the semester. However, like anything, once something becomes routine and familiar, time quickly flies by. Despite this odd mix of perceptions, I say can with confidence that my time thus far at UGA has been an incredible period of excitement, learning, and growth.

Here are six key takeaways from my experiences this past school year:

1. It’s a brand new start. 

This was definitely the toughest part of the transition. In many ways, this year has reminded me of my freshman year of high school. Like this past year, everything was new to me and many of my friends from my previous school were not there. As a result, it has required a certain level of intentionality in building new relationships and finding ways to add value to organizations on campus. It takes a great deal of patience as well. Just like high school, it’s a gradual process of continuous involvement and growth.

2. There is much greater schedule flexibility. 

I had heard a great deal about this one coming in. In high school, I was in school from 8:30 to 3:30, had baseball or football practice until around 6:30, and left with just a few hours to tackle homework if I wanted some decent sleep. Now, the majority of the school day is yours to do whatever you want. That can be the tough part. In the age of Twitter, Facebook, and other distractions, schoolwork often requires a higher level of discipline if you are to work with excellence. I typically stay busy balancing schoolwork and extracurricular involvements, but if I allocate my time effectively and work with diligence, I’m usually left with a good amount of free time to enjoy with friends and get quality sleep.

3. It’s much easier to forget things. 

I learned this one the hard way. From school assignments to various meetings and errands, I have been surprised (especially last semester) at how many things I have forgotten to do or to bring. Things I would never forget about in high school have now suddenly become things I must write down and look at frequently if I am to remember to do them. This one is simple. In college, you have more of a life to manage. You have an increased responsibility in managing your own schedule. You’re now in charge of your schoolwork, dorm life, extracurricular involvements, food, and other things that are not placed right in front of you like they were back at home.

4. I don’t dread going to any of my classes.

While I enjoyed most of my classes in high school, a few were simply a nuisance. Many days, the teacher would spend the majority of the class period disciplining certain students or simply passing out worksheets to be completed at the end of class. Now, surrounded by many driven peers, teachers are no longer caught up in classroom behavior. All they have to do is teach what is on the agenda for the day. Once that is finished, class is over.

5. It is much easier to meet like-minded people.

This seems to be one of the perks of attending a larger school. With so many clubs and organizations on campus, it is extremely easy to get plugged into a group that shares the same passions and values as you. While I had a great friend base in high school, the sheer volume of people at UGA amplifies the opportunities to forge genuine relationships.

6. Some of the greatest opportunities come when you aren’t looking for them.

College life at UGA presents itself with a multitude of organizations worth checking out. In fact, many times this can be a problem, as many freshmen try to do and explore everything, often spreading themselves too thin. Despite the incredible number of prevalent organizations, I have found that many activities worthwhile arrive at your doorstep when you are not intentionally looking for them. Right now, I’m serving on a leadership team for a start-up conference- something exciting, meaningful, and brand new. I have found that these types of opportunities often flow out of genuine relationships you have developed over time.

At the end of the day, I always try to stick to something my pastor at my church in Atlanta says: “Attempt something so great for God that it would be doomed to fail unless He be in it”. Opportunities for impact abound at UGA. No reserves, no regrets.