The transition into college is difficult for a lot of people. Surely, between graduation day and move in day, you've received an endless amount of advice from friends, family members and mentors alike. However, here's a collection of even more that you've probably heard, but will certainly need.
Ask for help.
You are certainly not alone in your transition into college. Whether it's during orientation or at the end of finals week, there's always somewhere that you can ask for help. Ask your professors, ask your RA's, ask your friends, ask your parents. Just ask for help when you need it.
Budget your time and your money.
We all know about the broke college student trope, and once you're in college, you'll start to realize the truth in it. Make sure you're thinking about budgeting the money you're bringing in.
As much as you should think about how you're spending your money, you should also think about how you're spending your time. Your time is just as precious as your dollars -- treat it as such.
Check your email often.
In college, you'll be getting emails constantly. Whether they're emails from professors, announcements about campus events (which often have free food) or bank statements, your email will be where you get your most important news. Download the Gmail app on your phone and your life will be infinitely easier.
Don’t go out every weekend.
You should not feel pressured to have to go out every weekend. There are certain weeks where you just want to crawl into your bed on Friday afternoon and never leave, and that is completely okay. Listen to yourself and know when you need Netflix, pizza and a few close friends for the weekend.
Expect some things to go wrong.
Sometimes, you're going to be late to class. There are going to be one or two assignments that will slip through the cracks and you'll forget. One day, you're going to get a C on a paper you spent all night working on. It's okay. You are perfectly imperfect. You are human.
Feed yourself well.
Just because the dining hall serves pasta with red sauce every night doesn't mean that you should be eating pasta with red sauce every night. Understandably, the dining hall isn't always going to have the healthiest options, but remember that food is your fuel. If it means trekking to the supermarket every so often to buy some fresh fruits and veggies, then so be it.
Go to campus events.
Especially as a freshman, campus events are where you are going to get involved in the campus community and meet new people. Even more, they're almost always entertaining and almost always have free food. What other convincing do you need?
Help your friends.
Did you get a 5 on the AP Statistics test in high school? Help out your friends struggling in Intro to Stats. Are you super organized? Give some tips to your friend who is a bit all over the place. You never know what you might need from your friends in the future. Plus, it's just the nice thing to do.
Invite people over.
During the first few weeks of school, everyone is looking for their friend group. Be brave and invite some people from your floor over to a movie night. Get a group of people together and go to Chipotle together. Some of those people could end up being your best friends in a few weeks.
Join at least one club.
Get involved in the campus culture. Do you want to be a doctor? Join the Pre-Med Society! Do you love planning events? Join the University Programming Board. During the first weeks of school, find a club that you truly feel passionate about and get involved.
Keep up with your relationships.
As you move further away, physically and lifestyle-wise, from your parents and your close friends, keeping those relationships alive and thriving is going to take some more work. You're also going to be making a lot of new friends and new relationships that are going to need work. Put in the extra effort for the relationships you care about.
Let your parents communicate.
Your transition into college is going to be just as hard (or, perhaps, even harder) for your parents as it is for you. If they want to send you care packages, let them. If they want to calls you twice a day, let them. If they want to visit only a week after they dropped you off, let them.
Make study guides.
In college, the closest thing to a study guide that you're going to get is a list of terms or concepts that are going to be on the test. If you want to get a good grade, then you should consider taking this list and making it into a true study guide. Plus, making the study guide will be one of the best study methods and you'll have a convenient little cheat sheet that you can study on your way to the test.
Notes will save your grade.
Lectures are super easy to fall asleep during. One minute you're on Microsoft Notebook writing down slides about biological anthropology and the next you're on Amazon shopping for stickers for your laptop. Don't fret! We've all been there. However, taking notes will save your grade when it comes to midterms and finals season. Figure out how you best take notes, whether it's on your laptop, on good ol' notebook paper or on printed out versions on the Professor's PowerPoint.
Open up your book.
In high school, when a teacher said the only homework was reading, that meant that there was no homework. In college, skip the reading at your own risk, especially in small seminar classes or super complicated science classes. Skipping the reading is simply a death wish. Do your reading, folks.
Plan.
Get yourself a planner, my friend. In high school, you may have been able to keep track of everything on the Notes app or in your noggin, but in college that is a sure fire way to forget something (or everything). Most university bookstores sell planners as do Targets, convenience stores and even supermarkets. Get one.
Quit one thing.
Surely during the activities fair during Orientation you signed up for 15 clubs. Take a look at your schedule, be realistic, and then quit one thing that you aren't super passionate about. Your brain will thank you, your grades will thank you and your need for sleep will defintely thank you.
Roommate contracts
If your RAs don't require roommate contracts, then you should defintely draw up your own. Whether you have just one roommate or four, you should talk about the expectations you all have for the coming year and your personal boundaries. Sample roommate contracts can be found all over the internet that you can adapt to your situation.
Sunday is the worst day to do laundry.
For many, Sunday is the day where you get ready for the rest of the week. So naturally, that's the day that you do laundry. Yeah, that's also the day that everyone else does laundry. You'll never find a washing machine on a Sunday afternoon so do yourself a favor and pick a different day to do laundry.
Take a break.
Listen to your body. Listen to your mind. Know when you need to take a break. Even if that means skipping classes and taking a mental health day to just sit in bed and watch TV or read a book, do it.
Use your resources.
There are so many resources available to you in college. If you're struggling in a class, go to the tutoring center. If you're feeling stressed and desperate, go to the counseling center. If you're low on money and need a job, go to the career center. Even better, these resources are so often free that letting them go to waste is just a shame. There is no glory in struggling when you could be thriving.
Visit your friends and family.
Everyone gets it, you have a busy schedule, but make sure that at least a few times a semester you take a weekend or even a day to keep up with your relationships from home. Plan a trip to your best friend's school for a weekend. Invite your family to visit campus and treat them to dinner.
Whine no more.
In college, everyone has their own problems, their own busy schedules and their own work to worry about. No one wants to hear your whining about all the work you have to do, because they have just as much work to do. There is a fine line between ranting and whining, so learn it and try not to cross it.
(e)Xcuses won’t work
There were probably a few times in high school where you came up with a ridiculous excuse and your teachers actually bought it. In college, those won't work. If you're having trouble or falling behind, be honest. If you simply forgot an assignment because it slipped your mind, be honest. Excuses won't work. Don't try them.
"Yes, but..."
When professors, friends, peers, mentors, etc. ask you to do something for them or offer you an amazing opportunity, you should definitely take it, but if you already have a busy schedule (and who doesn't) then make sure that they are aware of that too. Set the bar to where you can reach, so you can take advantage of opportunities while keeping your head above water.
Zap that negativity.
Don't hang around negative people. Don't let anyone zap your spirit or dull your sparkle. You should have friends and a support system that build you up. If you find yourself being constantly brought down by those around you, it's time to change your surroundings.
