Freshman year make you nervous? Afraid you'll make mistakes? Well, you will, but every freshman does! That's why we talked to former freshmen who have been there, done that. We asked several students at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, what they might have done differently as freshmen. Their advice will help you start off right.

I wish I had come out of my shell earlier. Instead, I got here and kept to myself. My first couple of weeks were really lonely because I didn't take the initiative to open up and make more friends.

I probably would have jumped in more from the beginning to make friends and get more involved on campus. Because when you get involved on a new college campus it will start to feel like home, and you'll find friends who will be like family.

I would've found a church home here in Nashville instead of going home every Sunday. Going home on the weekends kept me from growing up and moving on from high school life. I needed a local church home so I could have a place to worship as well as a place to serve. The church in my hometown knew me as a high school student and didn't leave a lot of room for me to grow and change, which you do a lot in your first year of college. I think it's important to find a church family that does not have expectations based on who you were, but on who you can become.

One of the things I realize now is that my GPA is more important than I thought, especially if I want to get into graduate school. My freshman year I got overinvolved in activities and had little time to focus on my school work. So, if I could do it again I would've tried to find a balance between the two.

I would've been more involved on campus in order to make friends. It's easier to find friends during that first semester of college, because most freshmen are looking for them. If I had made more friends then I'd have more people to hang out with now.

During my freshman year I was super involved on campus. Luckily, I wasn't overwhelmed by my involvement, but I was definitely too focused on quantity instead of quality. I've slowly dropped out of some organizations and put more time into a few things. My advice to freshmen is to take part in the things that really have purpose for your life and not be in something just to put it on a resumé.

I think I concentrated too much on classes my freshman year and missed out on establishing relationships. Since then I've learned that college isn't just about what goes on inside the classroom, but outside as well.

During my first semester, I wish I had joined more organizations on campus, whether it would have been a fraternity or student government. By involving yourself in different organizations or activities in the beginning, you'll discover what you really like and don't like and find what works best for you.

2002 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
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