At HelloCollege, we’re proud that many of our team members first came to us as clients, experiencing the college journey alongside their own families before joining us to help others. Today’s post comes from Niloufar Azarnia, a former HelloCollege client who is now part of our team. As both a parent and an employee, she understands firsthand the importance of this work. What follows is her personal experience with sending her three kids off to school and the letter she wrote to her son before the start of his freshman year—a list of 26 pieces of advice for college freshmen.
A Letter to My College Freshman
I dropped my son off at college last month. After we left, I waited, somewhat impatiently, for a call or text from him to let me know that he had gone through his “Open when …” box and read his “Dear Ben” letter.
Ben is the third of four siblings, and I write a letter for each of my children when they go off to college. It’s my last-ditch effort to impart a bit of wisdom before I send them off into the proverbial wild, where I can no longer watch over them.
My wish is they take some of what I’ve written to heart, knowing that most of it will be forgotten. What I really wish is that, someday down the road—long after the nerves of the first week of classes or the excitement of tossing their graduation cap—they’ll revisit the letter and find something that still resonates. (Which reminds me: I should probably send these by email, so they’re easy to save and search when that moment comes.)
At the core, the letters are my way of sharing over fifty years of experiences and learnings with my young adults, hoping that they know we (their parents) will always have their back. The list has gotten longer over the years—my eldest’s list was much shorter than the most recent one. I joke that it’s because I’ve gotten wiser. But in reality, it’s because, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized just how much I didn’t know back then, don’t know now, and need to be reminded of.
So below, I share with you 26 things I want my children to know as they leave for college, in no particular order. (Actually the last one is meant to be last because it’s the one I want them to remember the most, for life!)
26 Pieces of Advice for My College Freshmen
- Keep the four pillars of our family close to you and let them be your guide: family, education, service, and travel. In that order.
- Develop good habits. Your identity and storyline is created by what you repeat. It becomes what you believe.
- Where you end up in life has a lot to do with your attitude. Learn to accept what you can control and what you cannot.
- Go on. Be bold. Try new things. Fall in love. Fail early and often. The universe rewards those who work hard and are willing to fail and learn, and it’s true that you learn more from failure than you do from successes.
- Remember that, twenty years from now, it won’t really matter where you went to college. What’s more important is what you did while you were there.
- Wash your sheets and towels often!!
- It’s OK to admit and or accept when you’re wrong. Figure out how you can learn and move on.
- The college experience is more than just academics. Remember, the real purpose is to grow as a human being.
- A major part of college is finding your people. Make sure they’re good people.
- If you’re ever the smartest person in the room, find another room.
- Take advantage of every opportunity to travel!
- Never again in your life will you have as many opportunities in every aspect of your life as you do right now. Every day is an opportunity to learn and become the person you want to be. Don’t waste your time watching shows, playing video games, or scrolling through social media.
- Take some classes that have nothing to do with your major, just for the fun of it.
- Get enough sleep. Take naps in the middle of the day.
- Trust yourself—you are your own best compass.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
- Prioritize yourself and your family above all else. These are the people you’ll depend on for the rest of your life. They will always have your back.
- Develop and foster a service mindset. True success is not determined by your social or economic status but by having the desire and motivation to help others.
- Become friends with at least one of your professors, hopefully your favorite one.
- Develop an optimistic attitude. Intelligence without optimism is wasted.
- Make choices that make you feel alive.
- Accept challenges knowing they will be difficult and take time.
- Make sure your goals always outdistance you. Just keep moving forward.
- Enjoy every second of the next four years. Trust me—these really are some of the best years of your life.
- The friends from home and those you make in college will all grow and change. Let them. The true ones will stay your friends for life because they were there when your story really began.
- Call your mother often, even if it’s just for a few moments.
The moment is now. The place is here. The person is you!
Final Thoughts
Sending a child off to college is exciting, nerve-wracking, and full of firsts. If you want more guidance, tips, or personalized support as your family navigates the college journey, our team at HelloCollege is here to help. From essay coaching to test prep tutoring to application strategy, we’ve been in your shoes, and we’d love to help your student thrive. Contact us today for a free consultation.
