As the semester begins, campus is filling up with new freshmen. Two years ago, that was me. Nervous, excited, thrilled, terrified. I’m now in my third year of school, and I’ve learned a thing or two along the way. This piece, adapted from a letter that I originally wrote my cousin as a sort of high school graduation present, offers 21 pieces of advice to the incoming class of 2021.
1. Set up a roommate agreement as soon as possible after you all get moved in.
Yes, your RA will make you sign one, but that won’t be until you’re already a few weeks into the semester and by then the precedent will have already been set. Set boundaries early on: what will your “quiet hours” be? When is it okay to have guests over? What food will you be okay with sharing and what food is absolutely off limits? This will help you avoid conflicts later on. There are lots of roommate agreement templates online, just google it for more ideas.
2. Have everybody pin up their class schedule in the common area.
That way you’ll know when your roomies are (or should be) in class or when they’re free for lunch.
3. Invest in a printer.
It will save you money, time, and agony when you didn’t have to trek to the library to print of the final draft of your final paper 15 minutes before it’s due.
4. Find a physical activity you love.
For me, that’s running and yoga. The rec center will offer all sorts of free fitness classes during the first couple weeks of the semester. Pick out a few that look fun and try them out. Or take a dance class! If you find one you love, it won’t feel like work or a chore. It’s good for your physical and mental health, and a great way to release stress during finals week.
5. Know that the people you meet during orientation or that you randomly sit with in the cafeteria during the first weeks of school probably won’t be your best friends, and that’s okay.
6. However, the people you meet and click with during your first semester classes will probably become some of your best friends.
7. Go to your professor’s office hours...
...especially if it’s a class you love, are struggling in, or are right on the verge of the next letter grade. Your professor loves to talk about their subject, that’s why they teach it.
8. If you’re loving the class, go to their office hours and let them know!
Have a conversation with them, even if it’s not necessarily related to the class itself. Tell them about yourself and why you’re taking their class. You will gain an ally - someone to reach out to when you need letters of recommendation or life advice.
9. If you’re struggling in a class, go to their office hours and ask for help.
You’ll be able to ask questions a lot better than you’ll be able to in a 100+ person lecture hall.
10. If it’s midterm and you’re teetering on the verge of a B+ and an A-, go to their office hours.
Talk with them about the class, what you’re enjoying, what you’re hating, what you’re understanding, what you’re not grasping well. Go again before the end of the semester. Your professor wants you to learn, and even if your average is still an 88 at the end of the semester, because you went to office hours, asked for help, showed interest, and put in effort, you’ll probably end up with a 90 as your final grade. Visiting professors during their office hours has definitely made the difference in grades for me.
11. Don’t be afraid to use outside resources.
If you’re really struggling in math, go to the math tutor. If you can’t get your essay to make a shred of sense, go to the writing center. There’s no shame in asking for help.
12. Take a “fun” class every semester.
Take a class on a topic you’re super interested in or (this applies especially to gen eds) take a class that’s going to require little effort to get an A in. Not every single class you take should require you to spend 15 hours a week on studying or homework. Some classes you should just take because they’ll be interesting or fun or easy.
13. If you’re gonna go out, always have (or be) the Mom Friend™.
Make sure there’s a designated responsible person in your group, or someone who’ll be at home in bed watching Netflix and willing to come pick you up when you call.
14. Drink at least one bottle of water a day.
15. It’s okay to drink a cup of coffee in the morning and call it breakfast, just don’t do that every morning.
16. Know your limits.
This applies to alcohol, your stress level, and relationships.
17. Get involved in some sort of group outside of school.
18. Know that it’s okay to go places alone.
Go to restaurants, movies, guest lectures, whatever, by yourself occasionally. It’s very liberating.
19. Always pay yourself first.
I don’t care if it’s $10 or half your paycheck, but when you first get a job, go to a local bank and open up a new savings account. From then on, have some amount auto deposit from each paycheck. That way, when you have an emergency - whether that’s your radiator blowing up or you need some extra cash for spring break - you’ll have some socked away.
20. Get a piggy bank or a mason jar and save all your change.
Dip into your change stash when it’s 3am on a Tuesday during finals week and go get some Taco Bell.
21. Let yourself live in the moment.
I still struggle with this, daily. Allow yourself to just ~be~. Whether you’re hanging out with your friends and having the time of your life, or it’s the middle of the night and you’re halfway through a six page paper, relish it. Embrace the struggles and enjoy the beautiful moments, because it all goes by so fast.
