Congratulations! You just made the first step to achieving your dream career and the lifestyle you’ve always wanted for yourself. Some of you may be the first in your family to go off to college, some of you may be continuing on your family’s legacy. Some of you are going out of state for college which can be scary, yet an exciting experience. A lot of you may be staying in your home state, either living on campus or commuting from your home every day. You may be eager to join in on all of the fun festivities college has to offer, maybe you’re excited to join a certain organization or take certain classes. Either way, you will be taking your talents to whatever university, college, “ju-co” or trade school you chose to attend this coming fall semester.
Now, I know you’re super excited and ready to begin the journey to the rest of your life, but let’s face it, no one is ever fully prepared for what college will have in store for them. High school doesn’t even compare to college, because the distractions and the opportunities are endless. Yeah, you probably feel like in high school you grew and learned a lot, but college will eat you alive if your mind isn’t in the right place. Don’t get me wrong, college isn’t hard-- you make it hard. It’ll probably be one of the most eye opening, life changing, most exciting experiences of your life, but no one is ever fully prepared. But, have no fear because I have compiled a short list and some advice from college students attending various universities as well as, advice I gathered from my own experience while in college.
1. Do ALL of Your Assignments
I know you’re thinking: “Duh, I already knew that. My parents and teachers have been drilling that into me for the past twelve years.” But seriously, do your work! It’s very easy to fall behind in college and end up failing, all because you missed a few assignments. In college, different assignments might weigh more than others, so just missing a paper here and there could cost you half of your grade. Don’t go into college thinking you're hot stuff and you can easily make up your missed assignments. Professors have a zero tolerance for late assignments, nor do they take points off for turning in something past the due date (like your teachers may have done in high school). It’s either you turn it in on time or you don’t.
2. Go to Class
Trust and believe, you really need to go to class! Not only will you miss valuable information or notes, assignments, due dates, etc... but many universities and colleges have policies where if you have so many unexcused absences, your grade can drop a letter grade or you completely fail. Now, it’s one thing to fail because you didn’t do your work, but not going to class? And classes that you’re paying for. I’m quite sure your parents didn’t send you to college to waste their money. This is college - no one is going to force you to go to class, but when grades come out and attendance is worth 20% of your grade and you end up with a D, there is no one to blame, but yourself.
“This is not high school, so stop skipping class!” Take it from Sedona Emigh who is a junior at Kennesaw State University.
3. Get Involved ASAP!
This one is actually easier said than done, because a lot of incoming freshman can get overwhelmed with the college environment that they forget to involve themselves. It’s easy to get intimidated by upperclassmen in fraternities and sororities, dance teams, the campus newspaper, etc... and think, “I’ll never be good enough to join, or I don’t have what it takes,” but trust me, you do! That is what college is all about, getting involved and meeting people who are willing to help you get there. Look up when tryout dates are, and see when certain organizations are having workshops or informational sessions. Don’t know where to start? Talk to people, Google the organization, look at billboards around campus, even social media. Turns out social media can be used for more than finding out celebrity gossip and when the next party is.
4. Prioritize and be Realistic
Everything in your life has a place on your priority list, and while your parents have a different idea of what your priorities should be in college, you’ll be deciding them for yourself. Say your friends are all going to lady’s night on the strip and you have an exam the next morning, what do you do? What if your crush invites you over for a movie night, and you have an assignment that needs to be turned in by midnight, do you go? These are all real scenarios (and personal experiences). Trust me, things like this will happen on a daily basis in college.
“Stay focused, don’t let the distractions take control of you. You’ll only regret it in the end when you’re trying to graduate,” says Zakiya Samuel, a recent graduate from Potsdam University.
Be real with yourself, you can’t do everything, so remain focused and have fun when your schedule permits.
5. Never Lose Sight of Why You’re Here
In the mists of all the glory and massive amounts of fun there is to be had in college— drinking until 3a.m., laughing with friends all night, serial dating frat boys or sorority girls, club hopping with friends— it’s imperative to never lose sight of your ultimate goal of why you came to college in the first place.
“Don’t get caught up in the party scene or let the freedom to do whatever you want overwhelm you. You’re in college for an education, so act like it!” Advice from Jahmari Townes who is a senior at the University of West Georgia.
Never stop working hard towards your dream job or your dream graduate school. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of college and get distracted by hardships, but you have to keep moving forward and stay focused! If that means writing motivational quotes all over your notebooks or creating a vision board for your dorm room, do whatever it takes for you to keep moving forward, and become the person you set out to be when you first came to college. Most colleges and universities offer counseling services, so if you feel like there’s no one else you can talk too, check them out. Talk to your academic advisor, or your roommate, if you have one. All in all, find at least one person you can trust on campus; no one wants to go through college feeling alone.
6. Be Smart and Safe
Now, nobody is saying don’t have fun, but it’s very important to be safe and remain smart. You’re an adult now, nothing you do can be blamed on anyone else but yourself! Remember that all of your actions have consequences, whether they are good or bad. Try to keep that in mind when going out drinking with friends or indulging in recreational activities. Remember: don’t leave your drink unattended, don’t accept drinks from strangers, don’t go anywhere without a buddy or a friend, and do not do anything you don’t want to do (saying no is OK). Enjoy college, branch out, make experiences, try new things! Ultimately, be safe and use your brain at all times!
Ready, Set, GOAL!
I hope these steps were beneficial in some way. The next four years may seem like an eternity, but don’t let it fool you. As cliché as it may sound, time flies and before you know it you’ll be a senior getting ready to graduate. Use this time to grow, mature and set yourself up so when you do graduate you will have many job offers available or be set up to attend graduate school.
“Figure out a goal and find out what it takes to achieve that goal instead of just going through the motions of college,” says Dakarai Howard, a senior at the University of Kentucky.
By creating goals for yourself, it’ll serve as a plan of action for the next four years of your life. Remember, school is your top priority! I wish you all an exciting and successful first year and many more to come.
