For those of us that have already been through our freshman year, we’ve learned a couple of things in college and are still learning. But for those that are incoming freshman, things get a little hectic. You get wrapped up in the college life and don’t have priorities straight yet.
When I entered my freshman year, I knew I had to do well in school, but I also wanted to have fun. Between homework and college soccer, most of the time I just slept. After I suffered through a season long injury, I got caught up in homework and going out with friends. I was fortunate enough to keep up my studies, try new sports, and still have fun. However, one of my friends was not as fortunate. They kept up with their studies for the first couple months, but then got into partying more and more. Soon enough he was drinking four days a week, did homework at the last minute and slept through most of his classes. By the end of the school year, he transferred to community college to get his priorities straight on school again. Throughout these couple years of school and talking to college graduates about things they wish they could of changed, I’ve come up with a couple of ways to help get through college:
1. Enjoy the new experiences: If you were a little shy in high school, college is a great time for you to try something you’ve always thought about. It could be trying a new sport or joining a club that may pique your interest.
2. Remember you are still in school: A lot of high school graduates are so excited about college that they tend to forget why they are there. You aren’t paying thousands of dollars to get drunk and miss class. You are there to continue your education in a career you enjoy.
3. Do NOT party every weekend: Don’t get me wrong, going to parties is a fun way to meet people and have some fun. However, it also can get boring after a while. Instead, make sure you explore the town, hang out with friends, go to school events, or just have time to yourself.
4. Talk to your family: I know going to college is what you’ve been waiting for and getting away from your family has been something you’ve been looking forward to. But your family is still the group of people who are always there for you; you don’t have to talk to them every day. Maybe once a week, it’s just a way to stay in touch and keep updated on everyone’s lives.
5. Take care of yourself: If you’re a freshman, take my word, freshman 15 does exist. You get so excited about being on your own that you may not know how to manage eating well. It doesn’t take much, but if you do struggle just make sure to do daily exercising. It could be playing a sport, going to the gym, or just taking a walk around campus.
6. If you're stressed, take a breather: College is not high school. You cannot put off your assignments or studying until the last minute. When you get assignments, start them and get what you can done. If you happen to get stressed, which will happen, take a break. Go on a walk, listen to music, talk to friends. Do anything that will give you a little bit of time to re-group.
7. Don’t bring drama with you: Some kids think that when you get to college, drama disappears. No, it doesn’t; drama will exist. Don’t bring your high school drama to college, and if it’s college drama, don’t make it bigger then what it really is.
8. Enjoy everything college has to offer: College truly is an amazing time. You have to learn how to balance your time between school, friends, and clubs.
9. Be true to yourself: Never forget who you are. You will learn to branch out and discover new things about yourself, but learn the difference between becoming a new person and becoming more of yourself.
