If you want any advice about how to deal with the struggles of college, there's no better source than someone who has just experienced the same dilemmas. Girl to girl, here are 13 lessons about college from us upperclassmen:
1. Go to class!
Even if the professor doesn't take attendance and posts all of their lecture slides on Canvas, you still gotta go. For one thing, you paid for that class, about $100-200 for each session, so don't be wasting your, or your parents', money! Also, there are some things that professors will say in class that aren't going to be included in slides or notes, and if your professor sees that you're in class, if you need to go to them to ask for help later in the semester, they are more likely to want to help you.
2. Get a job!
It's easy to lock down a job and maintain it freshman year as opposed to later on in your college career! Plus the extra income is great!
3. Make close girl friends!
Having friends that are guys is great, but having a close circle of girls is always a good thing to have, especially when you want to talk about boy problems! It doesn't need to be a swarm of girls, just 2-4 close friends is the perfect amount of girls for your "girl gang."
4. Prioritize!
Make sure you're not putting the show that you're currently binge-watching above the assignments you've got piling up from your classes because it's harder to catch up than it is to maintain. It goes mental and physical health #1, friendships and family #2 (not to be confused with partying with friends!), school #3, clubs and organizations #4, and so on.
5. Always be prepared!
Keep a little emergency/first-aid kit in your bag at all times, because you never know when you'll need it. And I swear the second you think you don't need it and take it out, you'll immediately find a need for it.
6. Have fun!
Go to parties, and have fun on the weekends! You are meant to be enjoying yourself since these four years of your life are unlike any others! You don't have to drink to have fun, and if you choose not to, you can still have just as much fun at parties as everyone else does. Plenty of my close friends have chosen not to drink until they are 21, and they are still able to enjoy themselves in college. (That being said, if you do choose to drink, please be responsible!)
7. Get involved!
I know everyone says this, but joining a club or organization is one of the best ways to get to know new people at your school. And join something that you're actually interested in because there is a 99.9% chance that you will love it, have the time of your life, and make great friends while you're at it.
8. Make connections!
College is your prime networking time, so make strong connections with professors, advisers, and TAs because these are all people that can help you get a job after graduation, or connect with someone who can! Also, go see speakers in professions like the one you want to have whenever they are hosted by your college or university!
9. Make school work for you!
You are paying college tuition, (or your parents or family are, but someone is!) so take full advantage of the resources that are at your fingertips! Ask your professors a million questions and go to office hours whenever you can, because remember this: you are the one paying for college, which means it is your professors' and educators' job to teach you, so make sure that they are doing so! Don't shy away from getting help because you're afraid you might be annoying someone! It's their job to educate you, so get that education!
10. Get active!
Whether that means going to the gym on campus, mapping out a route to run on a regular basis, going to a yoga class, joining an intramural (IM) sports team, or joining a club sport, there are a bunch of options to help you exercise and stay healthy in school! Beware of the freshman fifteen!
11. Go to events!
There are bound to be sports at your school, and more often than not there will be concerts, some will be cheap or even free, so go! Who knows the next time you'll be able to go to a free concert after you graduate, so if you can spare a few hours to watch a basketball or football game or swing by that free concert, go for it!
12. Make friends in your classes!
These are people you can study for exams with later and may end up being really close friends of yours later on in life! Don't be too shy, just say hello just before or after class and make conversation!
13. Study smart!
Don't just study by cramming the night, or the hour, before an exam, because chances are, you'll need to remember that information for another exam, midterm, or final! So find a study method that works for you, whether it's writing things out, using flashcards, or Quizlet, and use that method with whatever you're studying for!
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