After the first few weeks completed of college, here's a few things that they don't tell you when starting college.
Take time out of your day to call your family. You may be super busy throughout the week, but calling your family is an essential to helping them as well as yourself through this new change. They want to hear from you, and even if it's just a short amount of time, it is worth it.
Studying begins on the first day of class. Yes, usually professors simply review the syllabus on the first day, but many also jump right into their first lecture. If you want to start the year off right, get our reading done for class early.
School has to come before friends or free time. Media makes college seem like it is barely any work, but a lot of fun. Yes, college is fun and exciting, but you are here to learn, and that fact is easily forgotten. There is time to get involved in organizations and see friends, but unless you do not want to be successful in college, school has to be a priority.
It is not bad to miss certain things about home and high school, but it is important that you don't let that stop you from enjoying the newness of college. It is a huge change in life when you suddenly move to a new area with all new people and surroundings. Newness does come with its ups and downs. During this time though, balance is key. Throughout the weeks, I still FaceTime, text, and call family members and friends back home or in other cities going to college because I do miss them. Also though, making relationships in your new city is crucial as well. There are thousands of new people to possibly meet, and of those thousand, there may be some that you cannot believe you have not known your whole life. So many older people that I have met still say that they continue to keep up with friends from college as well as high school, and it is important to meet new people, while also not forgetting about your friends from back home.
You have to prioritize your own time. If you want to study, go for it. If you want to just sleep, no one is stopping you. Your success in college comes from your own personal accountability to your schoolwork and attendance. There is not anyone there to make sure that you get up in the morning and go to class.
You need to eat thoughtfully. In college, there is not anyone there to tell you how to eat wisely. You could eat Chick-Fil-A everyday meal of everyday if you wanted, but it is important to understand how to be healthy and how to eat right.
I hope this advice helps!
