I am going to give you a few tips on how to survive your first year "adulting." College is not hard, but it is not easy. The first few weeks besides finals week are the hardest points of freshman year. However, you can get through it and be prepared to feel homesick and get stressed; but do not let these hold you back. College is what you make it; the experience is all up to you but learn to balance fun and academics. Some of these tips will work with helping you through the first few weeks while others will help throughout the year.
1. First off, just be yourself. Do not try to change to make yourself "fit in." This is not high school and I can promise it does not matter what you were like in high school because you have a clean slate. So be who you are, not what others want you to be and things will be a lot smoother.
2. Get to know your roommate and others living on your hall. The people you live with and are surrounded by quickly become some of your best friends. These people will be there when you need an escape, someone to go eat lunch with, they are basically your main safety net. Now, you may change roommates every year or stay with the same people but always get to know them because they are going through the exact same things as you and will be able to help you through it.
3. Organization is key. In high school, you did not really have to use planners and remember due dates because your teachers typically had them written on the board or constantly reminded you of homework or projects. Well, college is not like that. You will have some professors that who remind you but do not count on it. For the most part, the professors will give you an assignment, give you a schedule of all due dates, or post them on blackboard for YOU to keep up with. Therefore, I suggest get you a planner, app, or a wall calendar and color coordinate your classes and due dates so you are always prepared and on time. Because if we are being honest, late work is not acceptable.
4. Go to class. I mean this is pretty much a duh. Well maybe, I know as the semester goes on it gets harder to wake up for early classes or some days you just are not feeling it at all. Sometimes skipping class, sleeping in, and relaxing is tempting but beat the temptation. Besides learning the material, going to class you will not miss out on any extra credit opportunities, what to expect on tests, change in due dates, and in class assignments that are for a grade. And just because a professor does not take attendance does not mean skip.
5. Meet with your professors. Take advantage of the office hours provided. This will give you the opportunity to ask any questions if you did not completely understand the material in class. If you receive a grade and are unsure of why you received that grade you can ask about it. There are only upsides of meeting with your professors especially if you run into some snags later in the year.
6. Set an academic goal. Do not go into college with the mindset of "C's get degrees," because I can assure you they most certainly do not. Set a realistic goal that you know you can reach and will make you feel accomplished. Work hard and use your full potential. You have to earn your grades in college, they do not just come as handouts like in high school when it was easy to get by.
7. Study. Study. Study. Do not cram the night before a test, take time each day to study whatever material you are testing over. Take advantage of the study resources such as labs, tutor centers, and study groups. Figure out what helps you remember the information rather that be, note cards, writing your note over and over, or reading aloud; do what is going to help you. Find you somewhere that you can completely focus so you are prepared and have a great knowledge of what subject your test is over. Studying is a crucial part of college for you learn so much information for one test that will overwhelm you at times. However, every night or so schedule you some time to study information for whichever tests you are going to be taking.
8. Get involved on campus. There are many clubs and organizations offered on campus for you to become a part of. Take advantage of those because it will help you get over being homesick and feeling out of place. With joining an organization, you will make new friends and have new experiences which will lead you to having a better first year experience. However, do not go overboard and join so many organizations that you are over working yourself.
9. Stay on campus as much as possible. I understand being homesick is hard, or you have a boyfriend or girlfriend back home, try not too leave too soon or often. At first there may not seem like there is much to do on a weekend, but there is always something going on. The more time you spend on campus, the better your experience will be and the more you will start to feel at home.
10. Do not procrastinate; prioritize. In high school, it was easier to put off assignments until the last minute and still get a decent grade. However, college is not that simple. Assignments take time and if you cram everything together right before they are due; most of the time the grades are not going to be in your favor. Therefore, set your own deadline before the actual due date of the assignment so that way you know they are done.
11. Do not feel pressured to know what you want to do with the rest of your life right away. Even though it may seem like everyone has their lives figured out, which I promise they do not, avoid walking into your freshman year thinking you need to know exactly what you are going to do with your life and how you are going to get there. Changing your major is ok! Take the time to figure out who you are, what you like, what you are good at, and what you want to be. It is not a race; take your time and figure it out.
12. Keep track of money. Budget. This is something I still suck at but it is a learning process that I suggest you learn as quickly as possible. Create a budget of what you can buy, and leave a little extra for fun but do not go overboard with it. Trust me, figuring out how to budget will help you in the long run because if you do not, well like my friends and I do, you can join the many of us who pay with change everywhere we go.
13. Take care of your body. Freshman 15 is a thing. You might say "that won't happen to me." Well if it doesn't well good for you, but never say never. Eat healthy, drink plenty of water; trust me college food is not the best so learn to avoid the fries and cookies that will be tempting once you taste the food. However, taking care of your body is not just food; make sure you get enough sleep, take your vitamins, and have good hygiene. I got sick more times my first year than I ever have because your body is adjusting to new environments and people; so do you a favor and take care of yourself.
14. Take responsibility for yourself and your actions. When things go wrong, do not point fingers and blame other people. Own up to your mistakes and move on. Take responsibility for everything that happens to you. You are growing up so that means to start acting like a grown up.
15. Make time for yourself and a social life. Take time to do things that help you relieve your stress, take your mind off a bad day, and help you relax. Whether this be yoga (which is incredible), binge watching Netflix, or even writing in a journal. Just do what will be good for you. Now, you also need to find a balance to have time to have fun. Do not go over the top and go out more than you study, but find your perfect balance. College is all about the experience so take time and go have fun. Work hard, play hard.
16. Be prepared for many emotions. There will be times where you are feeling emotions you did not even know you had. College is a constant roller coaster of stress, happiness, sad, frustrated, etc. Just know that it will always get better and when you are having a mental breakdown while studying for a test, just take a few moments and breathe. Take a break and calm down. These emotions are normal and everything will be OK, eventually.
Overall, make the most out of your first year. Whether you decide to come back to the college you are attending or transferring somewhere else, your first year is one you will definitely remember. The first year is where you make some of your best friends, you find yourself, and most importantly you figure out where you belong. So enjoy your first year, go to football and basketball games. go to events that you are not even sure what is going on, be involved, because the experience is what you make of it so why not make it a great one?
