5 Truths About College I Wish I Knew as a Freshman at UNH
Are you looking for advice for your first year of college? Or if you're already a college student, what advice would you give to a first-time college student? Welcome to our "5 Things I Would Tell My First-Year Self" blog series, where current students reflect on their early days at UNH and share advice they wish they'd had when starting out.
If Kennedy McGrath '25, a marine, estuarine and freshwater biology and sustainability dual major, could talk to her first-year self, she would emphasize the importance of believing in herself and making meaningful connections on campus. Learn more about five things Kennedy would tell her first-year self!
Collecting samples with a project group in my honors biology lab in 2021.
1. Your friends freshman year probably won’t be your friends senior year.
You may get lucky with a few friendships that last through your time in college, but don’t get discouraged when people change and grow over the course of four years and drift away from you. Meeting new people and learning how to dedicate time to healthy relationships is important. I found that I prefer being alone to having bad company, so while my circle is small, I know I can rely on all of my friends for mutual support.
Posing at the summit of Mount Washington after hiking it in 2024.
2. You can do more than you think you can.
It may seem hard at times to dedicate time to school, jobs, clubs and personal development all at once, but now is the time to fill your days. Every semester, I made sure to take that extra class, join that club or seek out a leadership position, and prioritize movement at the gym and tennis practice during the day. You have the freedom in college to design a life that fulfills you and shapes you into the person you want to be.
Posing with the other tennis captains at USTA New England Tennis on Campus Sectionals in 2023.
3. It's not supposed to be easy, but it is supposed to be fun.
If while trying something new you discover that it doesn’t bring you joy or other benefits, it is okay to stop. Now is the time to find what makes you want to get out of bed every day, so it’s good to be busy as long as you feel fulfilled. That being said, there is no shame in asking people you trust for help if things start to feel overwhelming. I was fortunate to have many great friends and mentors help me through some of the more difficult semesters, and you will too when you get involved and build strong relationships.
Helping ultrasound and tag broodstock salmon for an emerging aquaculture company in Maine in 2024.
4. No one is judging you.
Especially as a freshman, I was so concerned with what everyone else thought about me. Now, as a senior, I realize that no one I thought was judging me would remember me today. I have never remembered someone for the way they dress or walk, but I do remember the people who treated me with respect and made me laugh. Think about how you want someone to remember you and use that as a guide for how to carry yourself every day.
Hiking in New Zealand during the EcoQuest program in 2023.
5. It's not what you know, it's who you know (and how you know them).
Whether it’s an internship you want or an officer position in a club, you are only as good as your relationships with the people making the decision. Since you never know who might be in that position to dictate your future one day, you must treat everyone with kindness and respect. I have submitted more applications than I could ever remember, but the successful ones were supported by the connections I made during my time at UNH. This truth will hold for the rest of your professional life, so it is essential to practice in college.
related posts:
5 Pieces of Advice for Your First Year of College
Julia Fichera '26, a Business Administration major, shares five pieces of advice she wishes she knew before going into her first year of college. read more about julia
