With the first semester of my junior year here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst quickly coming to a close, freshman year feels like forever ago.

Admittedly, I do not reflect back on my freshman year enough. As I was drafting this blog, I really got to thinking about my freshman year and things I wish I could go back and tell myself. While I have many fond memories of my freshman year, I do have some regrets.

When you are a freshman, it is completely normal to make mistakes while getting adjusted to college. This is a new experience for many, it is important to take the time to explore who you are and your interests, so mistakes will inevitably be made.

There are many things I wish I could tell myself at the start of my journey here at UMass, so today I will be sharing my top five mistakes to avoid during your time at college to ensure you take the most out of your experience here at UMass. 

Not Leaving Your Door Open or Using Your Common Room

Leaving your dorm room open and spending time in your common room is a great way to make friends during your freshman year and beyond. The majority of incoming students are eager to make new friends and will take advantage of open doors and hanging around in the common spaces, so please try this during your first semester.

Truthfully, as students start to form their established friend groups throughout the semesters, It can be difficult to make new friends. While it is not impossible to keep expanding your friend group on campus over the years, being a friendly face in your residential hall will surely help put yourself out there and meet other students, no matter what your academic year is.

Having your door open for even a few hours during the day and hanging out in your common room is a great way to make friends and something that I personally wish I took more advantage of during my freshman year. 

Not Getting Involved on Campus 

While it may sound simple to remember to get involved on campus, when you're attending such a large university with so many opportunities, it can be easy to push it off. Clubs and other campus activities can truly help make UMass feel like your home while also giving you the opportunity to branch out and meet new people.

I know for myself I really regret not going to the activities expo my freshman year and trying out the various clubs available. While it is never too late to get involved on campus, it is really nice to get involved early so you can test out various clubs and activities. You will not only find out what you love sooner but you will have plenty of time to enjoy the experience during your time here at UMass and not regret missing out. 

Not Attending a UMass Athletic Game

While admittedly I am not the biggest sports fan, attending a UMass athletic game was one of the coolest experiences I have had on campus. At games, I easily found myself getting hyped up with the energetic crowd around me. I fed off their excitement as friends and strangers alike banded together to support UMass.

The thrill and pride of sports culture is something that I have always admired and experiencing that while cheering on your university is truly wonderful. Plus, UMass games are free for current UMass students so I highly recommend taking advantage of it while you can. Do not let your lack of interest in sports prevent you from attending a UMass athletic game at least once. I promise It will be well worth it, win or lose. 

Not Trying Any of our Student Run Businesses

UMass is home to six different student run businesses, Campus Design & Copy, People’s Market, Greeno Sub Shop, Sylvan Snack Bar, Sweets and More, UMass Bike CoOp, and Earth Food. These student organizations offer a variety of unique services for UMass students during their time at here, from various food options all the way to bike repairs. Since these are not large corporations, they are unique to the UMass campus and you will not find them anywhere else.

With that in mind, why would you not support these student run businesses why you are still on campus? I know that I would hate to leave UMass knowing that I did not test out and support all of the fun businesses on campus. 

Limiting the Amount of Classes You Take Outside of Your Major

College is a time to explore not only your interests both in and out of the classroom, but to discover who you truly are. While you may love your major and feel as though that is the correct path for you, I strongly believe that you are limiting yourself if you avoid taking classes outside of your major.

While we have the general education requirement here at UMass to get students to become more well-rounded in different disciplines, I still strongly believe that you should try to take additional classes that do not simply satisfy a requirement. For myself, I took a journalism and communication class out of pure interest and ended up loving communication and declaring it as my second major, something that I would have never done if I had not explored outside of my requirements.

This will likely be your only time as an undergraduate student, so make the most of your time and explore different disciplines early on. I know many students who regret not exploring outside of their major. When they did it was far too late to take on an additional major or minor and graduate on time, which can be extremely disappointing. Please make the most of it — you never know what you may discover.