20 Tips for First Time College Students:

1. The “Freshman Fifteen” is real. Don’t drink soda with every meal and learn to appreciate the salad bar.
2. The library isn’t a horrible place to be. Learn how to utilize it. Chances are a couple of your friends will want to go to the library too, it’s actually more fun to hang out at the library until 1am with your friends than you think.
3. Copy your notes before a lecture class, they will probably already be online. Write down everything your Professor says in a lecture because more likely than not, they will tell you things that are not in the notes and things that are far more important.
4. Check your school email at least three times a day! Doesn’t hearing the word email make you feel old and responsible?
5. Don’t drink the jungle juice at parties- it’s a known fact.
6. It’s okay to eat alone at the dining hall, you’re not a weirdo if you do- you’ll be surprised how many people do!
7. Join a club of some sort. Whether it be a sport, the chess team, or a fraternity/sorority, it is good to have something to look forward to and you will make new friends. Also by joining a club you will have great connections within the school itself!
8. Try and stay organized. Planners are more useful than you think. I never used one in high school, but I swear by one now.
9. Don’t be judgemental, no one likes that person- especially in college.
10. It may seem tempting but try not to skip out on your classes, even if there is no attendance, but you truly miss a lot by not going... so try and make it!
11. Take naps only at appropriate times and try and not make them a habit.
12. Always go out on weekends in a group, life happens- sometimes not the way as planned so try and stay safe.
13. To elaborate on that, always have a friend that will be the “Mom” or “Dad” of the friend group when going out. It doesn’t have to be the same person every time but make sure there is one friend who can make sure everyone is safe at all times, while still having fun of course!
14. You will get made fun of for the way you speak- everyone sounds a little different being that everyone is from different places all over the map.
15. Go out on the weekends- even treat yourself to thirsty thursdays, but don’t go out everyday. Your bank account and immune system will thank me later.
16. Don’t ignore the fact that you are stressed, sometimes you need to lay around and be lazy in between the papers you are writing and the tests you are studying for.
17. When in doubt, call mom or dad. Hate to admit it, but they really do know it all.
18. Always have your friends back, these people will become your rock.
19. Everybody in college is also taking frequent “L’s” so don’t feel as if you’re alone.
20. Study more than you party and party as much as you can.