The semester has finally come to an end, and in January I will begin my last semester of my final year of college. It took me five years to graduate, and this victory lap was a result of me transferring after my freshmen year, as well as changing my major...twice. For all of the students who will be walking across the stage this May and going on to their dream schools, I have these few tips I learned on my journey through school.
1. Do not fear the freshmen 15...
...because it is completely up to you. It is not some magical thing that all of a sudden you wake up in October and you can’t slide in your skinny jeans like you used to. Sure, all of that pizza and beer might be worth it, but odds are you have a school with an awesome gym that has not only machines and weights, but also classes that are free! So yes, Chick-fil-a might be on your meal plan, but that is no excuse for you to not get together with your friends and sign up for a killer spin class. You are in complete control of how you spend your time now, so take advantage of all that your school has to offer.
2. Be more social.
You are now a part of a school with thousands of kids who were not around to witness your gym class mishaps or your braces phase of high school. You can be whoever you want to be, and your freshmen year is the perfect opportunity to make friends because the majority of the incoming freshmen class is in the same boat as you are. So if you go into your freshmen year with the mentality that the only friends you needed to make were the ones you were rooming with- think again! You will (probably) be at this school for the next four years, so get out and be social. Between your classmates and the people in your dorm, you are bound to make some life-long friendships.
3. Greek life is not for everyone.
If you are going to a huge school like UGA or Georgia Southern, you will probably see more than a few Greek organizations on campus. This can be a great way to get out and make more friends, but Greek life is not for everyone. It may seem like the only way to get to know people, and it is a great way to form connections, but there are tons of different ways to make friends. I played club volleyball at both of the schools I went to and some of my favorite college memories are with those girls. Try a new sport, join a club, or even start a club. Whatever you are passionate about or think you might be interested in, don't be afraid to get out there! Tons of people joined sororities and fraternities and they loved it, just don't limit yourself by thinking that Greek life is your only option.
4. On-campus jobs have their benefit.
In high school, the classes are basically a free-for-all. There is no stressing about needing to get into a certain class so you will graduate on time. You want to take an AP class? You got it! College is a whole different ball game. There are set class sizes, wait lists, and different registration times. As soon as a class fills up, you normally have to go find another one and hope it still fits in your schedule. There is a fun little think called early registration though, and it is where your registration time is a whole 24-hours before most of the students at your school. A great and easy way to qualify for early registration is getting an on-campus job. Most on-campus jobs will not be too stressful, they pay, and you are almost guaranteed to get the classes you need.
5. Learn good study habits early.
If you were able to get by in high school by procrastinating and still managing to get a B+ just on wits, college is a wake-up call. If you do not have good study habits, now is the time to start working on them. Some people are visual learners, some need to write facts down to absorb them. Whatever your method may be, college tests are most definitely harder. You actually have to read the textbook, so it would be in your best interest to make sure you have a method of studying that you know works for you.
6. Like to skip class? You will not pass.
Teachers have discovered a whole new way of making sure students go to class, and I have two words for you: attendance policies. That little paragraph on the seven-page syllabus that says if you miss more than three classes, your final average in the class will drop one letter grade? I have actually had a teacher that would fail students after they missed more than two classes. Talk about motivation. Some teachers have attendance policies, and some do not. If they do not, going to class is still highly recommended. It makes all the difference on tests and quizzes.
7. May-mester's are totally worth it.
The class schedule for a May-mester will vary, some it will normally be about four hours a day, five days a week for either two or four weeks. Yes, it is your summer vacation and you deserve to relax, but it is also making the difference between taking 12 or having to take 15 hours your few weeks at school, might as well go all-out. And it’s taking care of TWO classes. Early graduation, here you come!
8. Internships make all the difference.
Looking back, I wish I had started applying for internships earlier. Companies will hire interns as young as sophomores, and the more internships you have, the better! It is a great way to gain experience in the field and some even pay pretty well. As a senior, I am experiencing the catch-22 of employers that want to hire someone with experience, but you can’t get experience until you get a job. They are also a great way of finding out what you do and do not want to do. It is a lot easier to complete an internship and move on then it is to switch jobs.
9. There are more than just minors to add to your degree.
Besides your usual minor that is an extra five or six classes, there are also certifications in leadership, media, and other subjects. If you think that one of those would be useful to your career, go for it! As a freshmen, you will have a decent amount of free electives to use, and classes for a certificate can go towards those. It is in your best interest to find out what all your school offers in your area of studies, instead of just assuming you need a minor.
10. It is OK to not know what you want
Just because you start out as one major does not mean the rest of your college career is set in stone. College is a time to figure out what you want to do, and how you want to get there. Very few people graduate in four years anymore, so there is no shame in taking that extra year to earn your degree. It is much better to take your time and graduate with a degree you know you will use, as opposed to rushing through college to get a degree that you are not sure you will love. This is the first step towards your career. College costs money, you should make it count! Over the next four years, you will learn a ton about yourself and your goals in life will change. It is OK to not know what you want, just have faith that everything will work out in the end.
