Before I went to college, I would've loved to know the items that follow this introduction. Not that you can't survive without knowing these things but I have learned very quickly over the last month. Hopefully my lessons can guide you through college or on your journey to college.
1. DO NOT LEAVE BIG GAPS IN YOUR DAY
I do not care what anyone says about giving you time to eat or anything. I repeat, do not put large(2+ hours) in between classes. You will not get back out of bed once you've gotten in and there goes any shot at getting decent grades.
A small gap, 30-45 minutes is plenty to walk between classes and grab a snack or do last minute studying at a spot along the way.
I made the mistake of choosing classes with a 3-hour break in between and I never want to go to class and am usually tired and pay little attention to the class.
2. GO TO CLASS
Going off my last point, If you want decent grades or to even pass your classes... just go to class. It's hard to get up and go sometimes but professors notice who is there and who isn't through attendance or small class size. Going to class can get you extra credit or even hits and sometimes questions from the tests.
3. Your major really matters...
Your major determines where you can go to school, what classes you take and so many other things. and if you're like me and think that picking a career at 18 is ridiculous because I can't even decide what I am going to eat in the dinning hall let alone what I want to do with the rest of my freaking life.. okay rant over.
Basically, just think a lot about your major and don't jump into a career path too quickly without feeling all your options out.
4. It's easy to feel alone
College is a time of growth and I don't know about you but when I was growing... to my freakishly large size as a child, growing hurt. And growing still hurts but in a psychological way.
There are so many new experiences and things to do and mixing in being away from home and hard classes can make you feel very alone and you can end up getting sad very fast.
Last week there was a death in my dorm due to depression and with suicide and depression rates sky rocketing in college, your mental health should come first.
If it means making that awkward call to your school's counseling center, then do it. It won't be as scary as it seems and it can help you to even vent about a professor or the fact that no one talks in class ( like how am I supposed to make friends??)
College is a very crucial time of growth from teenager to adult and with that, it is very normal to feel sad and even do not know why exactly you feel that way. Reach out and get help!
5. Find Something that relaxes you
For me, I have some difficult classes that leave me stressed and annoyed on a daily basis. To deal with this I do things that make me happy and help to get my mind off of classes.
These methods can also be beneficial with feeling alone or being sad. For me, I like to go on walks around campus, lay on the fountain and stare up at the sky or going to the gym for a good burn. Finding something that helps you relax and feel better is very important for this stressful time of your life.
I have learned many lessons so far that I wish someone would've shared with me so I am here to enlighten you so your freshman year can start out better than mine!
