First year in college is always full of new beginnings. One needs to explore oneself to know what suits them and what doesn’t. People try out various things in college, because you finally ditch that boring school uniform and feel free. But sometimes, in the middle of all this, you might end up experimenting yourself. If you don’t want to be a part of such embarrassment, here we bring you a few things you should definitely NOT do in the first year of college.
1. Dressing a Bomb
A special thanks to tabloids, that freshers wouldn’t expect their college to be anything less than seen in Student of the Year. But, Boom! Life’s way too different. DU-ites do know how to dress and impress, but that is exclusive to certain occasions, not everyday. Because chappals and shorts are any-day more comfortable than slim-fit jeans and trousers in Delhi’s humid weather.
2. Want to be CR/ Office Bearer
Un-compromised commitment and willingness to represent their class, rather be the boss of the class. Only to rant after a month, “Ye kaha phas gaye?” because you realise that there is no bossing around involved, except probably the fact that you inform your classmates about the Professor being on leave. A post- bearer is a position of responsibility, but who cares? Not to discourage you folks, but be wise and not ambitious when you are thinking of opting for the same.
3. Appearing over-cool or elite to your seniors
Internal screaming “Main Cool Hu”. Don’t even try! Because this would be carried on until the last day in college. And trust me, you never look cool. It’s okay not to contain yourself, but then blustering out only make your seniors skeptical and confused. Never know, they might as well turn out to be ‘tedhi-khopdi’. Sincere advice- don’t mess with them ever, they can be the most trusted lifelines. Also, fresher’s abhi bhi baaki hai mere dost *evil grin*.
4. Trying to be popular in college
Very very few are actually able to achieve this, and least of all fresher’s. College isn’t high school, where you do some scandal, or something really commendable and get famous amongst your batchmates. College is an entirely different ordeal altogether. You might not even be famous in your own department, let alone across other departments, unless you become really infamous for something (don’t, okay?). Hence even if you were ‘popular’ in high school, do not have the same expectations in college, because they will never manifest.
5. Ordering or eating out every other day (coz Pg ka khana whaaaat?)
This might be applicable to most of the outstation students, who live in Pg’s, flats or hostels. This might seem like the only option at first, considering you suddenly value your ‘ghar ka khana’ way too much, and your Pg food is giving you food nightmares. So yes, it is completely understandable if you want to eat out almost everyday, but this is not a feasible option. Our student budget is really tight, and we have to manage literally everything in that tight budget. Going out once a week or so works perfectly fine, but ordering or eating out everyday is unhealthy both for you, and your budget. Try to settle in your Pg atmosphere. You’ll get used to the food and the environment eventually.
6. Sucking up to Professors
Just don’t okay? Just don’t. They won’t increase your attendance either way, nor would they come and tutor you before your entrance exams at the end of third year. There is no point really. College professors rarely care about specific students. Also this makes you really infamous amongst your classmates, and spoils your rapport, and you don’t need that kind of risk-factor in your life, do you?
7. Trying to find a group too soon
It’s almost been a month of college, and you’ll see people trying to find their place, some experimenting with new groups, while some are already set and done with their group-formations and they already have their ‘best friend since first day of college’. Probably you are still getting used to college in general, trying to find your ground, and trying to find people of your kind. Guess what? That is completely fine. All these group formations, they are natural, but some may last and some may not. People change groups till end of second year, for all they care. So even if it takes you the entire semester or the entire year to find your kind of friends, don’t lose hope, because you’ll definitely bump into them if it is meant to be.
8. Moving in with your ‘new found best friend’ within first 2 months of college
Guess you found your best friend on your first day. You do everything together, hang around, go out and bunk classes together. And then you two decide to take a flat/ room together. But hey, slow down right there, slugger. Hanging around all day with a person and living with with them is a completely different ballgame. So do not rush into this unless you are absolutely sure of the other person. And how can you even be sure within a month of college? So we understand your excitement of getting to live with a close friend, but do not rush into this kind of a decision at all.
Senior: “Ye sab try karlia?”
Fresher: “Haan”
Senior: 
– Shreya Chatterjee, Editorial
