Five Things To Do Your First Month Of College | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Five Things To Do Your First Month Of College

Settle in and adjust to college life.

123
Five Things To Do Your First Month Of College
Google

1. Set a study time and place.

College is not like high school, where the questions on a test happen to be the same questions from the study guide that your teacher gave you a week before. For each hour that you are in class, you should be studying at least two or three hours outside of class. Whether it is your dorm study lounge, the library, or the quad, find a place that is not too noisy or distracting. It helps to set aside a studying time each day or week that focuses on a particular subject. Personally, I like studying near the lake that is in between my dorm building and the building where my English class is. There are a couple of tables and the sound of water and the ducks swimming give me a peace of mind. I would not recommend studying only in your dorm room. There are a lot of distractions like falling asleep on your bed or somehow ending up on Netflix watching "Orange Is the New Black." My roommates like keeping our door open a lot, so the noises from the hallway also do not help if you want to concentrate hard. You do not need to worry about someone blasting music or talking loudly on the phone at the library or writing center, just saying.

2. Make a couple friends.

Meeting new people can be a scary, intimidating idea to some people, but remember that every freshman is in the same boat. The majority of us have moved to a new city to go to school, away from our family and close friends at home. A simple "hey" may turn into a long conversation bonding over your favorite "Grey's Anatomy" character or sports team. The worst thing that can happen from approaching someone is that they say they are busy. It does not hurt to try and getting to know people will also help with homesickness later on. You do not need to have main group of friends or anything, but at least start talking to a few people. If you are lucky, you will be able to eventually have a family at college away from the family at home and will get the best of both worlds.

3. Establish a routine.

I do not mean you need to have a time and alarm set every time you drink a glass of water or eat a snack, but it would help if you had some sort of schedule in your life. For example, every student has a different schedule each day you may need to eat meals at a different time on alternating days. For me, I make sure I eat somewhere from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch. My advice is to set a day for laundry, cleaning and hanging out. It does not have to be weekly; I do my laundry twice a month on Sunday nights and clean on alternating Saturdays. The basic things that should be in your routine are a time to wake up by and a time to go to bed by.

4. Walk around campus.

My biggest regret is not exploring my university's campus enough. After a few weeks of going to your classes enough to know not to look at your online weekly schedule, you find that you have a few hours in between classes and meals to spare. Take advantage of this time and explore as much of campus as you can. If I did more of this the first month, I would not be getting confused where I am sometimes. Doing so can help you find shortcuts from one class to the next and can make you feel more comfortable with your surroundings.

5. Go to events.

Whether it is the club fair, student government BBQ, or Greek fundraiser, go to it. Events are held so that people can learn about what organizations are out there and give people the opportunity to mingle with other students as well. Most of them are free and if they do charge money, it is not too hard to afford. They also offer free food and drinks most of the time. Events are a great way to make connections that may help down the line. You can go to them with a few friends and make a plan out of it. Even if you are not too interested in them, you should give them the benefit of the doubt and at least check it out for 15 minutes. You never know, it may be really fun and teach you something that interests you.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

3796
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

450166
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22048
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

44996
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments