With spring semester starting on Monday, I decided to look back on my fall semester and what I learned from it. Here are the 13 lessons i learned (the easy way or the hard way) in my fall semester that I will apply in spring semester:
1. Know when to stop your work and get sleep
Go to sleep even if you haven't finished whatever you were working on. In the long run, you'll thank yourself for getting a decent amount of sleep and recharging to get up early to finish your work.
(Credit to Savannah Masterson)
2. Breaks are nice
Yes, fall, Thanksgiving and winter break are nice, but so are breaks from work. Looking at the same thing can get frustrating or cause to not think clearly. Step back, take a 10-20 minute break then go back and look at it with fresh eyes.
(Credit to Anna Mayes)
3. Time management
You might not like alarms, but they are helpful when you need to plan out your time to get several things accomplished. Don't try to get all the work done at once, you will stress yourself out. Start your work a few days early and plan out a work schedule so you can pace yourself in you work.
4. You will miss home
But not as much as you thought you would. There's so much to do with your friends on and off campus that will keep you busy. Just remember to call your parents every now and then to let them know you're alive.
5, Shower shoes are not a suggestion, they're a requirement
The shower floors are not something you want to step on without shoes on.
6. Make time to eat and drink water
Eating and drinking are important. If you don't eat or drink enough water, you will regret it when you're sitting in health services after being obliterated by exhaustion and on bed rest for a couple days.
(Credit to Savannah Masterson)
7. Talk with your roommate
You no longer have your own room, now you share it with someone else. Communication is key to getting along and being happy. Your roommate might not become your best friend, but if you talk with your roommate, the transition will be much easier on both of you and you'll be in each other's support systems.
8. Branch out and try new things
There are so many clubs and campus activities you can be a part of. Sign up for things that you are interested in but also try something completely new. You might surprise yourself with how much you like the new activity.
9. Take advantage of events with free food
Not only are a lot of events on campus free but usually there is free food that accompanies it. Never say no to free food.
10. You will make friends but don't have to be around them all the time
It's okay to need alone time every once in a while. Or when your friends are super busy or need their alone time. It doesn't mean that something happened where they suddenly don't want to be friends or that you did anything to them. They also are busy with work and entitled to alone time.
11. Explore with your friends
Go into town. Go off campus to a restaurant with your friends. It's okay to spend time in your dorm room or common room with your friends, but don't spend all of your time there. Go out and have fun. Explore the town you will spend the next 4 years in.
12. Don't be afraid to ask questions
People are willing to help if you ask them. College is a transition from high school, it's okay to have questions for your professors, advisor or RA. You won't know until you ask; the worst thing that can happen is you are told no.
13. Finally, it's okay to be frustrated or cry
Just because we are adults and college students now doesn't mean that we have to be tough and act like we're okay all the time. Somedays you'll miss your family and friends back home. Other days you will feel overwhelmed with homework and papers. it's okay not to put on a brave face and go back to your room to cry. Curling up in a blanket to cry and watch Netflix is okay, therapeutic even, and it will help you to survive college with your sanity intact.
