Going into college can be intimidating and overwhelming to an untried adolescent fresh out of high school. A new environment can come as a culture shock, and everyone needs some coaching and guidance in order to adjust properly and ensure a successful college career. While I'm sure the resounding callings to "get involved" and "go to office hours" have already been drilled into everyone's brains, I would like to offer some less cliche advice from a current college freshman who has successfully trekked through fall quarter and is currently grappling with winter. So here are 5 quick tips to help you survive your first year on the big campus:
1. Get a planner that breaks up your day by the half-hour.
If you plan on keeping busy throughout college, this simple purchase will make or break you. As someone who was also very busy during my high school years, I can assure you that a busy college schedule is infinitely more hectic than a busy high school schedule. Classes can be spread out, events vary from week to week, and you need to be able to plan out your day by the half-hour. I am currently using the Passion Planner (pictured above) and absolutely loving it. I would encourage you to write down every little task you need to complete in your planner. That includes tasks as simple as depositing a check, doing laundry, or ordering a phone case online. You will be surprised how a few classes, a couple club meetings, and a short shift at work can simply suck all the time out of your day. But writing everything down and finding a time for it will help you stay on top of the little things as well as the big.
2. Wear sunscreen and reapply it throughout the day.
College involves a lot of walking (or biking) to class, which means much of your day will be spent in the sun. While most tend to reserve sunscreen for the long beach days, under the misconception that a short walk in the sun can't possibly do much damage to the skin, we forget that it's a combination of many 5 to 10 minute increments of sun exposure added up over the years that leads to wrinkly, spotted, and sometimes cancerous skin later in life. Since college is all about setting yourself up for a bright future, you might as well set your skin up for one as well.
3. Go Greek.
Sorry, I had to. They say that Greek life is not for everyone, but I cannot see how I would be getting by without it. Not only does it nurture an ever-blooming social life, but it also provides a plethora of information regarding job, internship, and involvement opportunities. The job market is all about connections, and college is the time to start making those connections. Greek life ensures that those connections are made, and it also offers leadership positions and volunteer work for those who are trying to amp up that resume. (P.S. You get a lot of cute apparel too).
4. Leave your wallet in your dorm while walking to class.
If your university is anything like mine, you will be walking by countless booths on your way to class, and most of them will be selling something. And when that something happens to be Korean BBQ or a big plate of Pad Thai, and you've had nothing but unsavory dorm food for the past week, your taste buds may prevail over your budgeting skills. For this reason, leaving your wallet behind can make a significant impact on your account balance at the end of the month.
5. Don't get pretentious.
You may find that many of your peers and even professors pride themselves in their academic jargon, strong political opinions, and know-it-all façade. While college is the place to expand your knowledge and reinvent yourself, do not allow the new you to be a pretentious one. Work hard, improve yourself, and be humble. I cannot stress this enough. Cling to your humility because most people lose theirs in college.
I hope you find these tips helpful as you commence your college experience. Remember that college is your time to discover and establish who you are, and the decisions you make here will determine the course of the rest of your life. No pressure though!
