High school seniors are getting ready to enter into the life of a college freshman. Here are 18 tips for the 18-year-old entering college to help get you through!
1. Use a planner.
Specifically one with an hourly break down of every day. Being able to plan your day by the hour makes it so much easier to set down clear time parameters for all the things you need to get done. Staying on top of everything is one of the hardest parts of college, so save yourself some pain and use a planner.
2. Don't leave the people you love behind.
The friends and family that you love and have spent the past 18 years with are part of your happiness. Make time for them with a phone call, or a trip and you'll be amazed by what a difference it makes to your state of mind.
3. Fake it till you make it.
Everyone is just as confused and stressed as you are, it's going to be okay just go with it and don't be afraid to ask questions.
4. Try before you buy.
Don't marry yourself to a major until you've actually tried classes or internships that have to do with it. Theories can be wrong, don't stick with a major just because it's what you thought you wanted to do. The rest of your life is a long time, make sure you're doing something that you love.
5. Go to class.
It will be SO tempting to skip, but you only get to be in college once. It may sound silly, but these are most likely the last classes you will ever be in and you should saver it and enjoy it. Also you and/or your parents are paying SERIOUS money for you to go to school, get your money's worth.
6. Familiarize yourself with a self-control app.
This will save your life. Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat... You know you want to check them. But, sometimes it's the absolute worst thing you can do. So, hide your phone and put your computer in self-control mode and actually get your paper done in a reasonable amount of time.
7. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
You're 18, you are legally an adult and you can do pretty much whatever you want. Your parents or teachers may have acted as your moral compass before, but it's just you now. Remember that eating every dessert at the cafeteria every day is something that you can do, but probably not something you should do and you can just go ahead and apply that to a plethora of other outlets that are now readily available to you. Remember your goals. Remember your purpose for being in college.
8. Join a club/group that looks good on your resume.
This is a great way to make new friends and do something productive at the same time. Take a leap of faith and go to a few call-out meetings at the beginning of the semester, tey almost always include free food so there is really no downside. Find something you like, with people you would like to spend time with and spice up your resume. It's a win, win.
9. Always price match your textbooks.
Don't get ripped off. Amazon is almost always the cheapest option but shop around because you might be surprised at the price differences. Also sell your books back on Amazon, or at your school's bookstore. It is really simple and feels a little bit like giving yourself a nice tip for having completed the semester.
10. Call your anchor.
Don't get too lost in your new world. Whether its your mom, best friend, boyfriend, favorite book, etc. Find something or someone that makes you feel the most like yourself and lean on it when you start to feel a little lost. It's easy to get lost in new things and sometimes things you don't really want to be involved in and it's good to have a lifeline to pull on to keep yourself grounded.
11. Hunt for a stellar study spot.
A good study spot is a key to academic success. Find somewhere preferably close to caffeine and/or snacks so you can hunker down and get stuff done. You might like complete silence or a little cafe noise, so test out your options and find somewhere that you feel comfortable and productive in.
12. Always set multiple alarms.
Tardiness is appreciated by no one and can end up being a serious problem. Getting up is rough, but we've all got to do it. So do what you have to do and set all the backups you need, it is worth the extra two seconds it takes to set them.
13. Get on the class GroupMe.
This can also save your life. GroupMe or any other group chat is an awesome lifeline to have when you have questions that you would not or should not ask your Professor.
14. Prioritize your school work.
In college, it is usually impossible to actually do all of the assigned reading, so prioritize what is most important and hone your skimming skills and you'll be okay.
15. Schedule time for fun.
College can be STRESSFUL and by "can be" I mean it usually is. So, find something you enjoy that takes your mind off of your never-ending to-do list and make yourself do it for an hour or two every week. Actually, write it in your planner and make it happen and you will help keep yourself from getting insanely overwhelmed.
16. Schedule time for working out or some sort of physical activity.
If you don't actually schedule the time you won't do it because you are a college student with thousands of things to do. Endorphins make you happy, so it's basically scheduling happiness. Another win, win that you won't regret.
17. Remember that college is only four years.
It will fly by faster than you think. Appreciate this time where your biggest worry is still primarily to learn and better yourself. You are still coasting in that adult, but not really sweet spot. Enjoy it.
18. Keep the big picture in mind.
College is a stepping stone for accomplishing your larger goals in life. Don't get so bogged down in the busy work that you forget why you're doing this. Always keep your end goals in mind to inspire you to work hard and get you closer to living your dream life.
You've got this!
