In exactly two weeks, I will be loading up my car to head home for winter break! This means that in exactly two weeks I can say that I survived my first college semester. I've learned a lot in these short few months and with the help of some friends, we've put together a list of some of the most important lessons. We wanted to pass it along to those who are facing their first semester at college. My friends and I have lived these experiences and learned it all first hand, hopefully you find them helpful!
1. You need sleep.
Most college students are insomniacs and many of us have mastered the art of running on little to no sleep. But eventually you crash and that's never a pretty sight, so you need to find time to sleep. Naps make the world go 'round and a quick power nap between classes will insure you have enough energy to focus on your next lecture. It doesn't matter when you find time to sleep as long as you do eventually.
2. Find what keeps you awake.
I know I just said we all need sleep, and this is true, but sometimes it just isn't an option. In these cases you need to find some form of energy to keep you going. Caffeine is your best friend in these times whether it's in the form of a cup, Black Label Mountain Dew, Monster, Amp or any other energy drink of source. Find whatever your go to is and use it wisely.
3. Adapt to the food.
It's no secret that campus food could use some serious quality improvement, but unfortunately that won't be happening anytime soon. So for the first few weeks you need to be adventurous, try different dining halls and discover a few meals at each place that you can live off of. Also try to find some sort of a balance between all of the greasy comfort food by having a yogurt or banana for breakfast. We all gain some weight in college, but you will feel way more comfortable in your skin if you avoid a drastic gain.
4. Carry your essentials with you.
I don't leave my dorm without my ID, room key, wallet, pepper spray/pocket knife, portable charger, phone, gum and headphones. These are things that I need to get around campus, feel safe and be comfortable on a day to day basis. It also doesn't hurt to keep an "overnight bag" in your backpack or bag when you're hanging out with friends. You never know when you may end up crashing in your friend's dorm and the last thing you want is to be stuck without a tooth brush, make up remover, deodorant and similar things like that. Once you find your essentials, you will never be unprepared for a situation again.
5. Plan out your schedule wisely.
The number one reason my friends have missed class is because they scheduled them way too early. If you aren't a morning person, don't even think about signing up for anything before ten. College will not make you into a morning person and you will miss more classes than you should because you slept through all seven alarms that you set. Find what time of day you function the best at and use that to your advantage. Also plan your routes to class out too, do a dry run of your schedule before classes start. Biking to class or riding a long board are also helpful, who cares if you cut a few people off here and there.
6. Learn how to procrastinate.
Procrastination is something we all are guilty of, especially when we are handed more free time than ever before. Sometimes the added pressure makes us produce better essays but more often it just leads to rushing and stress. So learn how to control this by not waiting until 12 hours before the due date to type your seven page paper. Plan out what you need to do for the assignment the day it's assigned and maybe get a rough draft finished. That way, if you find yourself in a crunch a day or two before the due date you will have it somewhat under control.
7. Escape when you need to.
Find your safe place. I am fortunate enough to have my own bedroom here and it's my little safe sanctuary when I need time away. Most of my friends aren't this lucky but they find places such as study lounges or quiet corners of the quad. If you have no where to go when you need to then put in some headphones, crank your music up and go for a walk around campus.
8. Do your laundry.
You can point out the kids on campus who never do their laundry because every few weeks they come into class wearing some ridiculous outfit because that's all they had left. Don't be that person. I recommend doing at least one load of laundry a week so you can keep some clean clothes in your wardrobe no matte what. And clean your sheets too, there is nothing nicer than crawling into clean sheets after a long day.
9. Clean your dorm.
Your room doesn't have to be completely spotless but you will notice your stress level increases as the mess piles up. Dorm rooms are tiny and the three foot wide walk way to get to your bed shouldn't be where you keep your dirty clothes, empty water bottles or text books. Organize your stuff, take out your trash when it's full, do your dishes and try your best to control your laziness.
10. Buy a pet.
If your school allows it, then definitely get yourself a beta fish or some sort of animal. My roommate and I have two betas named Ciroc and Lil Dipper and honestly they are more popular than we are. They live in little bowls in our common room and their personalities put smiles on our faces daily. You may think, "it's just a fish" but just trust me on this one.
11. Make friends.
Join activities that you can balance well with your classes, go to hall meetings, talk to people in your class or say hi to a stranger in the dining hall. I don't care how you make friends, but you definitely need to. Not everyone you meet here will be your best friend for the rest of your life and that's completely okay. But creating a network for yourself at college helps you tremendously. I recommend joining social media groups of students in your graduating class before you even get to school, I met most of my friends that way and it worked out great.
12. Don't get sucked into finding " the one'
It's pretty pathetic actually how so many girls come into college expecting to meet Mr. Right as if college magically changes the guys into perfect men. There is no magic here and the truth is most of them only want to get into your pants once or twice before they move onto the next girl. It's not only girls who suffer from this delusion, I know plenty of guys who have been played as well. Everyone here is looking for different experiences and not everyone wants the same thing you do. The two phrases that my friends and I live by are, "don't do wifey shit for a f*ckboy" for the girls and, "don't stick your dick in crazy" for the guys. The phrases are straightforward, very much to the point and I promise you that you won't forget them.
13. Step out of your comfort zone.
College is a time to try new things and explore what the world has to offer. If you go into your first semester with an open mind then you will experience some awesome things. Party (wisely) every now and then, try a new kind of food, pick up a new hobby or take a new class in a subject you never learned about before. Stay true to who you are but don't be afraid to be open minded.
14. Don't forget about yourself.
With a busy schedule and a ton of new things to focus on, it's easy to neglect yourself. Take time to yourself every now and then to write, paint, shoot a basketball, play video games or whatever else makes you happy. Cut yourself some slack when things get stressful and just unwind for a little while. A hot shower followed by your favorite snack and some Netflix can be exactly what you need sometimes.
For all students facing their first semester of college this spring or next fall, you'll find a way to make it through. Keep some of this advice in your mind and learn from your mistakes, you'll make plenty of them. Lastly, Enjoy your first semester because it flies by way too fast.
Thank you to all of my friends who helped me piece together this list, you guys rock! Cheers to the ending of our first semester and to the many memories ahead of us next semester!
