To all college freshmen:

Are you excited? Nervous? Terrified? Can’t wait to be free from the watchful eyes of your parents? Perhaps you’re an emotional mess because you won’t be seeing your friends and dog (and family) for the next few months. All of these feelings are completely normal, so fear not, freshmen! Here are a couple of pointers to get you through your first year (or at least semester) at university:

Time management

Everyone says you have so much more free time in college, because you’re not in class all day. But then factor in time spent eating at the dining hall, doing laundry, cleaning your room (your parents aren’t going to do that for you), maybe working on campus, spending time with friends, going to the gym, and joining extracurriculars; you start to feel a little overwhelmed. That doesn’t leave you with much time to study or sleep. Making a schedule is the best way to make sure you can get everything done and still have a little down time for yourself.

Plan out roughly how long each of your daily activities will take you. This will also keep you from overloading yourself or committing to too many things all at once. Checklists are also lifesavers, because crossing even one item off makes you feel quite accomplished!

Making friends

If you’re not going to a state school like many of your friends might be, the idea of being alone in a new place has probably crossed your mind. What if you don’t like your roommate? What if you can’t make friends in class? (By the way, I recommend going to class.) The easiest way to make friends in college is by getting involved in clubs you’re interested in. You’re likely to meet people who share similar likes and dislikes, which makes it easy to hit it off. Many people also join Greek life, which gives them access to a whole new network of people. You may even hit it off with someone you’re with in the elevator.

Dealing with homesickness

It will happen. As excited as you may be to leave home and go places without having to ask your parents for permission, you’ll eventually miss the comfort of home. Not to mention, home-cooked meals, and a familiar environment altogether. FaceTime or Skype your friends and family maybe once a week, and keep them updated on your life. Eventually, you’ll be busy enough that there won’t be time to miss home.

Money management

You know all those memes about being a broke college student? They exist because they’re true. Maybe you’re one of the lucky few who can afford to spend however much they want, but for the majority out there who need to stick to a budget, I’ve got a few words of advice. Go to club meetings – you’ll get free food many times and you can avoid buying a meal. If you have a meal plan, use it. Most freshmen are required to have meal plans anyway, so avoid going out to eat when your parents have already paid for most of your meals.

Get an on-campus job. You can put it on your resume, and you’ll have money to fund those weekend nights out without having to ask your parents. And then, set a monthly budget for yourself, and stick to it. You will thank yourself later.

Don’t stress out about going off to college! By the end of even first semester, you’ll be a mature and independent young adult. There are so many learning opportunities, inside and outside of class. Good luck to the Class of 2021!

Sincerely,
The Class of 2020