I began this list when I started my freshman year of college to give to my sister this year when she graduated and wanted to share it with all other recent graduates and college students in general. It includes a lot of facts, information, and tips about college classes and life in general:
Move in day is chaotic.
Try to keep your calm and don't rush the goodbyes.
Your first night, maybe even week, in your dorm will be rough and it will be difficult to fall asleep.
Getting used to a new room is difficult for most people, don't stress getting used to the new environment.
You will have a lot of free time.
Enjoy it and try new things, but don't forget to focus on completing your assignments because due dates will creep up around the corner.
Find a close knit group of friends, but also be open to meeting a bunch of new people.
College is a great time to discover new things about yourself, keep in touch with old friends, but also make some new ones.
Be prepared to walk, a lot.
They say you can typically get anywhere on campus in 10 to 15 minutes, but when you only have that much time between classes you have to learn to book it.
Try new things.
Trust me, it may seem overwhelming or scary at first but you are guaranteed to find some new hobby that you didn't know you would enjoy.
Review your notes within 24 hours of taking them.
It'll help you retain the information and make studying for tests easier.
Use Google Calendar to plan out your schedule.
It is the best thing ever when it comes to staying organized and getting notifications about classes and events. Use the calendar features to separate classes, office hours, clubs, and other organizations you get involved in. However, us a planner to write down your homework assignments each day because it'll help you remember everything you need to get done and helps you prioritize with due dates.
Always be aware of your surroundings.
Know the emergency contact information for Campus Security, the Student Health Center, etc.
Sometimes just walking around campus is a nice way to take a break and clear your mind.
Learn your way around and find a few new favorite spots to chill and/or study.
If there is an app that has your school’s dining hall menus, download and use it, all the time.
This will be so helpful to know which dining halls are serving what if your school has multiple.
School traditions are traditions for a reason.
Make the most of your experience and take part in your university's traditions.
Sometimes your friends will want to go out and you just want to stay in and that’s okay.
Always try to make time for yourself and relax.
Speaking of friends, if they start ditching you or leaving you out of things, move on.
Trust me, don't forget about them, but don't get worked up about it either. Make some new friends that you can hang out with too.
Everyone says to go to office hours, but honestly it depends on the professor if they are actually helpful.
Try them out once if you need help, but if the professor doesn't help or makes you feel stupid, find other resources on campus to help you in your classes.
Find ways to stay healthy.
Maintain a normal eating schedule. It is important to eat healthy and avoid skipping meals. However, a little ice cream or candy every once in a while is not a bad thing and a really good treat.
Walks around campus are a great way to take a break from studying and stress.
Take walks to different places because you don't get to see everything on the tour and you don't have classes everywhere either.
Try not to watch Netflix during the week, unless you actually have free time to do it.
Fill your weekly schedule with clubs and organizations, working out, getting homework done, and studying. Save Netflix for the weekends. I lived by this in high school and I still do it now, believe me it helps and the weekends are way better when you don't have homework piled up to do.
Give yourself at least 30 minutes each night before bed to chill and unwind.
Use this time to check social media, play a game on your phone, or read a book (it doesn't matter if it's for a class). Netflix is okay during this time I guess, but most shows you can't even watch a whole episode in 30 minutes.
Use Pinterest for quick ideas
Pinterest has a bunch of ideas for decorating, storing, and organizing stuff in your room; ways to have healthy dorm snacks; resume, cover letter, and professional tips; and much more. I highly recommend using it.
If you can, plan your schedule so that you have no classes one of the days of the week.
You'll enjoy this nice break to sleep, get work done, enjoy some me time, etc.
Make sure you look at grade distributions or RateMyProfessor for all potential professors when planning your schedule and signing up for classes.
Choosing a good professor when you are given the option to pick is very helpful. Some have different teaching styles and grading methods. Be sure to ask upperclassman who have previously taken the courses who they recommend to have as a professor.
Use the gym.
It is actually a lot of fun and colleges usually have good facilities and many different classes you can try out like yoga, Zumba, weight lifting, etc. See if you can find a gym buddy too that you can workout with.
Call home just to catch up sometimes.
If there's anything you want to talk about or anything exciting you're doing or something you're applying for your family will want to know.
Don’t be afraid to talk to people in your classes if you don’t know anyone.
Try to see if you can find people to create a study group and can ask for help on homework with.
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