The newest and most exciting chapter of your life has begun: your freshman year of college. You've packed your life away into boxes, said your goodbyes to family, friends and your favorite pets, and you're now moved into a dorm building (or preparing to commute) with a roommate you've just met (or maybe knew before). It's exciting, nerve-racking, stressful, and tiring. Your freshman year is what you make of it. Opportunities come and go and you may or may not seize them. Here are some things to keep in mind when going through what could be the best year of your life.
You're not in high school anymore.
From now on you are 100% responsible for yourself and the decisions you make. You decide when you go to sleep (or not), when you go to class, whether or not to go to that party your friends invited you to, what you eat, and who you associate yourself with. No one is checking up on you every night asking whether or not you've finished your homework, or if you got enough sleep, or had breakfast (unless your parents call of course). Learning to be completely self-sufficient can be an adjustment, but it is necessary if you want to be successful.
Choose your friends wisely.
In college, you'll meet a wide array of people and personalities you may have not been exposed to before. You probably hear this pretty often, but that doesn't make it any less important. We're at the age where we are our own independent people, so what we do isn't necessarily the result of who we hang out with, but it can be. It's important to surround yourself with people who support you and lift you up. Surrounding yourself with quality people who you genuinely admire is essential because it will inspire you to do better. College is great because you have your friends around basically 24/7, but that also means you'll probably be hanging out with them a lot more than the people you were friends with in high school. Building strong relationships will make your college experience more enjoyable.
Party carefully.
There will be many opportunities to go to all sorts of parties in college, and they can be a lot of fun, but you need to be careful always. Don't go to parties alone, stick with your friends and leave with them, and watch your drinks- girls especially. Try to be aware of your limits, nobody likes the feeling of waking up with a pounding headache in your bed and wondering how you got there or what happened half of the night. That being said, always drink LOTS of water before bed if you've been drinking. The water will help sober you up and reduce the likely hangover in the morning. Also, party sparingly. Yes, being able to go out whenever you want is exciting, but don't overdo it. Your school work always comes first, then you can reward yourself by going out after it's done.
Take your classes seriously.
Professors are not teachers, although they may teach. They are usually experts in their fields with experience and other jobs or research projects they're doing in addition to teaching classes. They deserve respect, especially in the adult learning environment that is college. That means not watching Netflix during class or sleeping or sitting there with your headphones in. They don't want to waste your time, so don't waste theirs by not paying attention.
Also, you or your parents are probably paying a lot of money for you to attend these classes, so go to them! I know, some days you'll wake up not feeling good or with the overwhelming urge to just not go to class, but you should. I always told myself, one class session is $50, so skipping a class would be like wasting $50, and that always motivated me to go when I didn't feel like it.
Study. I mean, actually study.
College courses go a heck of a lot faster than your classes in high school. What you cover in one semester is equivalent to if not more than a year's worth of high school material. College is all about time management when it comes to your school work and other activities. You can't get away with just studying for a test or exam a night or two before, your brain will not retain it. Studying at least a week in advance for a big test or exam is usually the rule. Make flashcards, highlight and annotate your notes/readings, and hit the library! Sometimes it's easier to just go over your daily notes for ten or fifteen minutes per day after class to help you really understand and absorb class material, but it varies by class and by how you learn as an individual. Once syllabus week ends, get a feel for your classes and the way your professors run them, and schedule yourself some study time for each class once you know when your exams are. It will make it a lot easier when the time comes.
Stay healthy, and take care of yourself.
In college, it is very easy to get sick, not matter how strong your immune system may be. This is especially true if you're dorming. Germs spread very quickly when so many people are living in such close proximity to one another. Make sure you always wash your hands, use hand sanitizer frequently, and always have cold medicine, pain killers, and tissues in your room. Another important component of staying healthy is eating enough (and eating healthy), getting enough sleep, and exercising. I know it can be hard especially when you're so busy and in this brand new environment, but it is possible! You just need to manage your time and make sure you always set some aside for yourself.
Enjoy it!
Your freshman year can be the fastest year of your life. One day, you're moving in, getting acquainted with the people around you and the campus. Then you're two weeks into classes and getting the hang of things. Next thing you know midterms are coming, then Thanksgiving, and suddenly your first semester is over and you're finishing finals. The second semester goes just as fast if not faster. It's crazy. Be sure to enjoy the ride and take it all in as valuable life experience. The fun times with your friends, those gross frat parties you went to first semester, the mental breakdowns when your courses became very real and very stressful, and all the moments in between. College is really what you make of it, so go in with an open mind, be yourself, and do the best you can. Everything will work out fine.
