College is a weird time. It is both stressful and wonderful at the same time. For me, the transition to college was honestly not as bad as I had imagined it would be. I remember feeling scared to death before moving into my dorm and the first couple of weeks. Looking back now, I understand I had nothing to worry about because it was all in my head! I am sure there are plenty of incoming freshmen having these same thoughts right now. Here are 5 tips I think all incoming students should know.
1. Buy a calendar
Trust me. You will love yourself for buying a calendar. It sounds so stupid when I say this, but my calendar is genuinely the only thing that keeps me sane. It is what keeps me organized and on top of things. Go out and buy yourself a calendar, and thank me later.
2. Get to know your professors
It can be pretty intimidating talking one-on-one to your professors. Don't let that mind set keep you from getting to know your professors. Take advantage of office hours. Ask for help if you need it. Get to know your professors on a personal level if you want. They are here to help you and want to see you succeed.
3. Learn to be okay with struggling
College is rough. You are going to have good days, but you are going to have bad days as wells. Those bad days will be some of the worst times in your life. That is totally fine! It is so important to know that you are not alone. We are all struggling. You will get through your tough times, and you will come out stronger than ever in the end.
4. Get out of your comfort zone
Talk with the people around you. Join clubs on campus. Go have lunch with people you meet in class. Do anything to step out of your comfort zone. Nothing good comes from a comfort zone, so get out and have fun!
5. Stay positive
You are entering college in perhaps one of the strangest times. Moving off to college is hard, but it is even harder to do so in the middle of a pandemic. While I will never know what this feels like for you, I know it is not the end of the world (even if it does feel like it). I wish nothing more than for you to have the typical college freshman experience that you deserve. However, in these troubling times, stay positive. Things will get better, and we will eventually get back to some kind of normal (whatever normal looks like). Stay positive and focus on what is yet to come. These next four years will be gone in a flash, enjoy it while you can!
