College can be a stressful experience for most students. It’s your first time being far from home and taking care of yourself. You have to grow up because you’re an adult now and need to start acting like one, but everyone needs a little help sometimes. These four years can be the best or worst years of your life, depending on your choices. Even if this is your last year, these tips will help you out in the long run.
1. Get involved.
Make sure you check out the involvement fair at the beginning of fall and spring semester to see what there is on campus. It’s important to join clubs because that’s a big resume booster when you’re looking for a job after college. There’s something for everyone to be a part of, you just have to take the initiative and sign up. Plus, if you’re a new student this is a great way to meet new people with the same interests and/or major as you.
2. Know your limits.
Whether it’s partying or overworking yourself, you have to know what your body can handle physically and mentally. Once you go off to college, you’re exposed to so much freedom, but with that comes a lot of responsibility. If you don’t make smart decisions there will be consequences to pay later. You don’t want to go out and drink every weekend while skipping a bunch of classes during the weekdays, because at the end of the semester you’re going to regret it. Trying to raise your GPA after one bad semester takes a while and isn’t worth the headache when you could have taken college seriously in the first place. Just be sure you don’t work yourself to death; find a happy medium between the two.
3. Find a job.
If your parents give you spending money in college, then you should be thankful you’re that lucky. For those who don’t have much financial support in college, you’ll want to find a job. If you’re worried about not having enough time to do your schoolwork, then try to find a job with your school. They understand students have a large workload and, in most cases, give shorter shifts so students have time for school. If you’re really worried about working and balancing school, then talk to your professors about possibly being a note taker in your class if anyone needs it. You will get paid for going to class and taking notes without putting in so many hours.
4. Don’t buy your books right away.
You should at least wait until the end of the first or second week of classes before buying your books for the semester. More often than not, professors will tell you the book is essential for the course, but you never even opened it up. When you get the syllabus, be sure to look ahead and see if you’ll actually end up using your book before you spend about $100 on it. If you really need the book, see if you can share with someone in class or look online for the best prices. Don’t forget, you can always rent your books if you won’t use them after that semester, or just sell them online.
5. Talk to your professors.
Nobody wants to be the teacher’s pet, but that all changes in college. Your professors have office hours for a reason. They are there to help you with any questions you may have about class lessons, or if you have a concern about an exam you took. Chances are you will have the same professor for different classes, so take your time and get to know them. If you introduce yourself and show that you are talking college seriously, your professors will remember you and always try to help. Either way, your professors want to see you succeed and they will do anything they can to help you. The only thing is, you have to take the first step toward helping yourself by talking to your professors.
6. Get your money’s worth.
Take advantage of what your college provides. You’re already paying for the shuttle bus, gym, tutor services, counseling services, etc. because it’s included in your tuition, so why not use these? Your school is giving you all the necessary resources you need to be a better person and be successful, so you might as well reap the benefits.
7. Start healthy habits.
If not right away, at least during some point in your college career you should start thinking about healthy choices. Even if it’s something as small as eating an apple a day or going for a walk with friends every so often, you’ll thank yourself later for getting into some healthy habits now. The freshman 15 does exist if you don’t take care of your body, but with little changes each day, you’ll look and feel great. Plus, keeping up with these habits after college won’t be so hard, instead it’ll be like second nature to you.
8. Major in something you love.
You’ve heard both sides of the argument: major in something that will make you a lot of money, or major in something you love. Personally I vote for the second one because it’s true that you’ll never work a day in your life doing something you love. Forget about the people who question what you could possibly do with a degree in English or philosophy because when you love something so much, you will find a way to succeed.
9. Visit the Career Development Center.
If you’re getting ready to graduate or just want to get ahead of the game, make sure you check out the career center on campus. They hold mock interviews with real employers so students can get a feel for the job market and work on presenting their selves. The center also offers to look over student resumes and gives tips on how to improve your chances of getting hired. If you’re looking for an internship, check out the career center’s website for postings because employers are always searching for students to work and your career center can help you prepare.
10. Have a strong support system.
Throughout your four years at college you’ll experience many ups and downs. Nothing is more relieving than to know you’ll always have one constant despite the chaos and that is your support system. Whether it’s a group of friends, family, or a combination of individuals, these people will be your anchor when you feel as though your ship is sailing. No matter the circumstances, these people will help pick you up with you’re down, and lift you higher when you’re already touching the sky. With a solid support system in college, there’s no doubt you will feel invincible and have many great accomplishments to be thankful for.
Regardless of whether you’re a freshman or a senior, these four years are what you make of them. Either you will face these challenges in college, or you have already gone through it; but in most cases these tips will serve as a reminder and help you in the future.
