The jump from high school to college can be tricky. Many people end up learning the hard way that college is much more intense than the high school level classes. Not only are you away from home and the watchful eye of your parents, but you also have so many new exciting opportunities and friends. There just never seems to be enough time in a day to do school, extracurriculars, have a social life, and yet still be able to do necessary things to survive. The first semester is definitely a learning curve, but you learn and adapt fast.
Laundry is so important in college. At home, it is much easier to throw your things in the wash and forget about them, but dorm laundry requires a lot more attention. You can't leave your laundry for too long without the fear of someone taking it, so you really need to take a good two hours out of your week to time the washer and dryer. Often times laundry is the last thing on your mind when you have tests and places to be, but there is nothing worse than waking up and realizing you do not have any clean clothes to wear. The first semester taught me that the few spare hours I have in my weekly schedule NEED to be spent doing laundry instead of watching Netflix.
Staying organized and checking the syllabus is also crucial. The worst feeling in the world is hearing the professor talk a big test or an assignment that is due in two days that you haven't started on because you forgot the due date. One of the biggest challenges in school is time management, so doing yourself a favor and writing down all the due dates down in a planner the first week of the semester will give you plenty of time to work on it so you aren't stressed the last minute. Also, there is nothing more satisfying than crossing off something you finished on your planner.
Make friends in every class! This one is huge. Having someone you know in your classes that you can text with questions or study with is essential for doing well. There have been so many times where I would have been lost if it weren't for a friend to help me out. Also, having someone to study with makes it a little less awful.
Finally, I have learned that saying "no" to plans is okay. It can be tough though. FOMO is a real thing especially in college when you're supposed to have the time of your life. However, it is perfectly okay to say no to plans with your friends if you are drowning in schoolwork or simply need some time to yourself. Trying to do too much often times mean you cannot put your full attention into anything which results in nothing good. Staying in one night instead of going out is not the end of the world, there will always be another social event.
