20 Things College Girls Should Know

It was a college football game weekend, and as my friend walked down sorority row with her teenage daughter, her daughter took it all in.

The energy. The buzz. The sea of people dressed in the school colors, full of excitement and hope. Out of the blue, her daughter asked a question.

“Mom, what’s the hardest part of college?”

Her mother said the first thing that came to mind: Saying no.

It was a funny answer, yet really true. Saying No is the hardest part of college.

Whether it’s No to Domino’s pizza at midnight, No to going out on Tuesday night because you need to study, or No to someone who is pushing you against your better judgment, it is beneficial and wise to get comfortable saying No.

Yet even with the invitations you pass up, college is unbelievably fun. It is a time of freedom, fun, and lifelong friends you’ll always feel close to because you help each other grow up.

Having four daughters, I’ve thought a lot about preparing them for college. Here are 20 things I believe college girls should know.

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1. Boundaries are good, and it’s imperative to set boundaries for yourself because nobody will set them for you. College is one season of life where you can compromise your values without anyone blinking an eye. With nobody to monitor you—making sure you study, take care of yourself, and choose healthy relationships—it’s important to set personal standards and decide in advance what you will and won’t do.

2. College is when you turn into the person who you’re going to be. Since friends play a major role in shaping this person, it’s crucial to choose your friends wisely.

The best friends are fun and good for you. There is strength in numbers, and finding friends on the same page with you helps you live out your convictions. It gives you allies who can say, “These are our goals. We can do it.”

3. Your friends fill in the gaps when you’re homesick. They become your family as you lean on them for comfort, advice, and strength. The new friends you make today will eventually be the old friends with whom you’ll share a long (and often hilarious) past.