Leaving home and coming to college at 18 wasn’t the least bit scary. I thought I could take on the world. It was a totally different story when I walked on campus for the first time. I felt unprepared for most of the things I was either introduced to or stumbled upon myself during my first year of college. I hit a few curbs and ended up with a couple of bumps and bruises, but in the end I learned so much about myself. However, if I could have a chat with my freshman self, I’d have so much to inform her about.
Meet people who aren’t from your hometown
It’s cool to stick together with people you know, or who can recognize your home address as somewhere they’ve heard of before; just try to branch out with people who don’t live in the same city as you. You’d be surprised where you can be invited to, what you can learn, and who you could meet.
Talk to your professors outside of the classroom
Your professors seem intimidating, but they’re honestly there to help you to succeed. You can also get a little extra help if you become a familiar face or if you seem like you really want to make a passing grade, or even if you just want to have a few conversations about the stresses of being a first-year college student. Trust me, professors keep mental notes on who really wants to make it in their classes, and if you show them you care, they’ll help you out in many times of need. They also come in handy in referring you for internships, writing letters of recommendation, and helping you once you’re pushed out into the real world. Keep your professors close.
"Free with your student ID" isn’t really free: you have paid, so go
If I could make that a title of a book, I would publish it today. I cannot stress that enough: go to everything that’s free with your student ID on campus. Performances, football games, the rec center, etc. -- these are all things you’ve paid for through your student fees, so take advantage. Make sure you have your student ID, ride the bus everywhere, visit the campus theater, stop by the clinic, and make sure than you soak up all the free prizes and giveaways that will be handed out periodically around campus. It’s all for you, so go out and take it!
Never go back for a nap
I understand that you have a two-hour break between your first two classes of the day, but that does not mean you should go sleep the time away. You’ll oversleep; and if that doesn’t happen, you’ll just start to convince yourself that it’s okay to miss this class because “attendance doesn’t count.” That’s not okay. Visit the library and study the chapters that you will be discussing in your next class. Meet with your adviser. Stop by your professor’s office during office hours. Whatever you do, just don’t go back to bed.
Never look a promoter in the eye
Club and party promoters are good at what they do, and all because we allow it. You’re going to get fed up with grabbing flyers and CDs as you’re walking to class. So do not look up. When you see one approaching you with a stack of laminated invitations in their hands, act like you’re getting your keys out of your purse. Or you can just not look inviting, look at your phone as if you’re checking an important email (it’ll work every time), or act like you’re late to class. If you don’t, your backpack will be full of pieces of paper and business cards of people you don’t even know. Don’t do it.
Advice is worth the aggravation
Think of your advisers as your tour guide in an unfamiliar place. They are going to direct you to all the opportunities and places you need to be to ensure that you have a fulfilling college experience. Advisers tell you what classes to take, keep you on the right path, and give you suggestions that may change your academic school year for the better. And yes, it may be hard to track them down, or annoying to wait for them in lines a mile long, but it’s worth it if you want to succeed in the years ahead of you.
Budgeting is essential to your survival
Ahhh, the refund checks. This concept will blow your mind. You’ve never had this much money that is actually yours in your whole life. Please, do not go crazy. Sit down and budget wisely. You have everything you need on campus: food with a meal plan, clothes in your closet that you can more than likely still wear, and all the free entertainment your campus provides you. It’s okay to buy things whenever you see fit, but make sure you’re spending wisely and saving as you go because once you run out of money, you’re stuck.
Your GPA matters for a lot of different reasons
Your grade point average is a VIP card with access to every opportunity you can possibly think of in college. There’s a GPA requirement to take classes, to join clubs, to gain internships, to qualify for scholarships and to participate in many scholastic endeavors needed to build professional relationships. Start off strong and remain on the right academic path. Your GPA is easy to mess up and harder than ever to bring back up. You don’t want to hinder yourself from being a well-rounded, highly involved student.
Stay true to yourself
There are going to be men and women on campus with you from all walks of life. Some are more advanced, have more than you, or even came to campus with more status than you. That does not mean that you aren’t one of the greatest people in the world. Do not try to keep up with the Joneses. If you grew up in the church, it’s okay to go to church. If you don’t like the club, it’s okay to not go out and party every week. If you like art, go to shows you want to go to, even if it means going alone. Chances are the people you see today will be a whole different person tomorrow. If you stay true to who you are, you will definitely attract the people who are meant to be in your life. Make yourself proud. Honestly, that’s all that matters!
Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today
Procrastination is never a good habit to practice. Stay on top of yourself, stay on top of assignments that you are given. You never have free time in college; you only have time to do other things. Professors will give you pacing schedules that will tell you what assignment is due, what you will be learning throughout the year, and when things are scheduled to be turned in. Plan to study and do your work in a timely manner, or all of your classes will catch up to one another and you will be overwhelmed. It’s no fun pulling all-nighters in the library the day before an assignment is due, praying that you meet the deadline with at least a passing grade. Do quality work and do it on time so that your grades can reflect your effort and your social life can stand a chance.
I wish I had this guide to lead me through the ups and downs of college life. Things definitely would have gone a lot smoother.
