I came into my freshman year of college not knowing what I was doing. High school was easy and I never had to study to get good grades. My parents did mostly everything for me so when I got to school 3 hours away, I had no idea what to do. College is generally supposed to be the best 4 years of your life. It's a time to explore, learn, and grow as a person. It is a time to slowly adjust to being in the real world by yourself. These are all things that I wish I knew going into and throughout my freshman year of college.
First things first, you have to study. And I don't mean study the night before the test. I mean REALLY study. Just because you did well in a class in high school does not mean that you will do well in that same subject in college. Typically, you should begin reviewing one week before test time. It will give your brain a jumpstart on the material, especially if you have a lot of tests at once (*cough* finals). Find a study method that works for you. Take notes in class. Take VERY good notes in class. You'll need them when it comes time for the test and it will be easier to remember things if you have been paying attention throughout the semester.
If you can help it, try to have all of your classes back to back. If you have a few classes in the morning and a few hours until your next class, you more than likely won't want to go to the classes after your break. Try and take them all at once so you can get them done and have time to relax or study after that.
Do your laundry, and do it whenever you have free time. Also, learn how to do your laundry. I never had to do my laundry when I was at home, so the first time I tried to do it, I stained my clothes pink. Do your homework or study while you are waiting for your laundry to be done. It'll help the time pass and you'll be productive.
Don't use all of your dining dollars at once. I promise you'll be sad when you have to eat the dining hall food for the rest of the semester or you'll have to use your real money on food.
When and if you go grocery shopping for your dorm or apartment, don't go while you are hungry. This may sound ridiculous, but you will buy so many unnecessary things that will more than likely go to waste. Don't buy anything that you don't think you'll eat and try not to buy things you don't really need.
Take some time and get off campus. If you live on campus, after the first few weeks you'll get tired of it and you might need a change of pace. Go to neighboring towns and visit. Drive around or go shopping. Explore and find new places to eat. Try to get some space from campus once in awhile.
Call your parents. If you're living far away, try to call them once a week. They love you and they want to hear from you. Catch up with them. Ask them about their week and tell them about yours. Let them know about your classes and keep them involved too.
Go to the library. This goes hand in hand with studying in advance. Personally, I love going to the library. If I try to study in my room, I will get distracted or fall asleep. Going to the library keeps me focused. Grab some coffee, sit down, and study.
Get involved. I can't stress how important this is. If you aren't involved with at least one organization, you really need to be because it will help you branch out and make new friends. If you go to a college that is near your hometown or a lot of people from your high school go to, really try to make new friends outside of them. You need to branch out and explore.
And lastly, don't go out if you really need to study or do homework. College is fun and great and you have a ton of freedom, but you really are there to study and get a degree. Going out every weekend can cause your grades to slip. Find a balance in between going out and studying.
College is absolutely amazing. At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to adjust. It was a slow process, but it turned out to be one of the most rewarding things after I figured out all of these things. Now I am prepared for next year, and hopefully, you will be too!
