Here are some life lessons and tips from a gal who just finished her first year.
Tech is hard.
https://wifflegif.com/tags/34936-study-gifs
I understand that you may not have had to study in high school to get perfect grades. Don't expect this to happen at Tech. It lives up to its reputation as a academically rigorous school. Classes aren't impossible, but they are challenging. STUDY!
Join a philanthropic organization you're passionate about.
https://giphy.com/explore/lets-get-some-work-done-together
Tech can take on kind of a selfish environment. Everyone is after good grades and jobs for themselves. You study for you. You work for you. Joining a philanthropic organization is a great way to remind yourself that the world doesn't revolve around you, and there's people who need your help. China Care and FTK are two great organizations, and there's many many more!
CHECK YOUR EMAIL.
https://help.imgur.com/hc/en-us/articles/213601886-Emails-from-Imgur
You're gonna get a Georgia Tech email. And you're gonna need to check it. Sure, 70-80% will be Melissa Moore telling you about events you don't care about or spam from FASET org fair. But, some will be important emails from your professor, announcements from canvas, updates on your classes, job opportunities, etc. So please. CHECK YOUR EMAIL.
Choose classes that interest you.
Yeah, you're usually not going to want to go to class. But don't choose classes that you have absolutely no interest in, if you can at all avoid it. Some core classes you're gonna have to deal with. But if you're dreading major classes and don't find the subject matter interesting at all, you may want to consider alternative majors. Or else you're gonna hate every waking hour you spend in class.
Get off campus every once and a while.
https://tenor.com/search/beyonce-freedom-gifs
Campus is great. It's beautiful, and it has everything you need. But it's easy to forget you're in the middle of one of the greatest cities in the world! Get off and explore. Go to Piedmont park. Go to the High museum. Take a late night drive. Go to one of the amazing brunch spots. Just escape!
Find a good study spot.
You're gonna need a reliable study spot that meets your needs that you can disappear to distraction free. Unfortunately, 90% of the time, there won't be a CULC (Clough building) booth or room open. And it gets loud. And you shouldn't study the same place where you sleep (temptation). The silent floor of the library is a popular spot, but if you're like me and silence drives you mad, you may need to find a different spot in one of the many buildings on campus. Everyone has a go-to spot.
Tech isn't all studying! Most of us have social lives!
There's a million ways to make friends at Tech, and it's super important! You'll have time to be social, I promise. Get connected right away in organizations, intramural sports, greek life, whatever floats your boat. Find people with similar goals, passions, personalities, senses of humor, etc. Talk to people! Make time for your friends!
Get a phone pocket for your Buzzcard. (And get these other essentials.)
Seems like a simple tip but boy is it a lifesaver. You won't lose your buzzcard. You won't be digging through your bag in the rain. Just get it. And while you're at it, get these other essentials if you're lacking:
Good pair of wireless headphones
Spotify/Hulu for Students ($5/month!!)
Prime Membership (or just use your mom's lol)
Umbrella / Raincoat
Laptop Case (add stickers!)
APPS: Uber, Uber eats, NextBus, GT Portal, Canvas, Tapingo, Quizlet, DuoMobile, LiveSafe, ParkMobile, GoogleCalendar, Bird, Facebook (GT Memes for Buzzed Teens)
Plan Plan PLAN.
I don't care if you didn't use a planner in high school. Use one now. Put your exam dates, birthdays, social events, and literally everything in that planner. Check off things you've done so you feel accomplished. Budget in study time, review time, and homework time (yes, there is a difference). Add in social time and "me" time. Plan things down to the hour. Use a h*ckin color coding system if it helps you. In addition to a physical planner, you should also get Google Calendar. You can thank me later.
Use your resources.
Don't be too proud to ask questions and use your resources. Tech has so many academic resources, including: academic coaching, 1 on 1 peer tutoring, help desk hours, office hours, etc. Please use them when you need them. I don't know what I would have done without office hours and peer tutoring my first semester at Tech. In addition, if you are in need of social or medical support/care, Tech offers counseling, psychiatry, sports medicine, and primary care. If you need something, ask!
Take care of yourself. SLEEP.
Successful people usually aren't exhausted. You don't need to pull an all-nighter to pass that chem exam, I promise. Without sleep, you will burn out so quickly at Tech. You need at least 7 hours a night. If you plan your schedule well enough, this should be doable on most days.
Also make sure you have free time and "me" time. You need to have some alone time for meditation, prayer, reading, or whatever suits you. Listen to your body when it is telling you to slow down. Make sure you shower enough, too. (That is seriously a big issue.)
Be confident in yourself!
https://gifer.com/en/OoR
Tech is hard. You'll need to study and plan. You'll be stressed out sometimes. But always remember, you can and will succeed. It's easy to meme yourself and put yourself down. But you have to believe you can pass that class, get that job, crush that interview, etc. Be yourself, there are weirder people here I promise. You're not dumb. You are not that bad grade you got one time (or lots of times). You are a Ramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech, and a helluva Engineer(/Business major/LMC major/Policy major/ID major/STEM major/whatever cool thing you do).
Good luck!
