Surviving That Freshman Year in College: Tips from Those Who Have Been There

Freshman year in college can be both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Your whole life is ahead of you with lots of great opportunities, but you’re also faced with many things that will give you a better grasp of the realities of life.

Most college freshmen can navigate life in university and adapt to some of its drastic changes. High school was a fun ride, but college is a different beast. It offers plenty of fun, but you’re also expected to take life a bit more seriously. A lot of students struggle through college because they are either misinformed or uninformed about its realities. Many people wish they had someone tell them what to expect and how to get through this season in one piece. The valuable input will have saved many from all the unnecessary misery and difficulties college threw at them.

If you’re an incoming freshman, this is for you, whether you’re going to your local college, the opposite coast, or studying abroad at a school with a UK curriculum.

10 Tips for Every College Freshman from Those Who Have Been There

Here are a few words of wisdom gathered from folks who were once wide-eyed college freshmen:

1. Look for the Right People and Stick with Them

College is a time where you get to meet different types of people. Find the right group of people who can help you become a better student and ultimately, a better person and take care of your relationships with them. This is a great time to build lifelong friendships.

2. Be Friends with Your Roommate

If you’re staying on campus, chances are, you will be bunked up with a roommate or two. Get to know them (and not in a creepy way) and be friends with them. They will be among the first people you meet in college. It’s nice to get off to a good start by being friends with them.

3. Take notes–Lots of Them

Take notes as if your life depended on them because it does. Never take for granted the power of scribbling down notes and thoughts on a pad. It’s great for learning and memory retention, plus it helps keep you organized.

Write down lessons and discussions. Jot down your questions, thoughts, and ideas. Take note of requirements and deadlines. List down your expenses. Make a list of a few go-to places for some serious studying. Whatever you do, it’s best to have a written record of it.

4. Do Your Best to Stay as Organized as Possible

Speaking of organizing, college can be chaotic. Having some form of organizational system will go a long way. Get a calendar planner to manage your schedule and priorities. Keep track of your expenses for budgeting purposes. Take note of deadlines and submissions. Be as organized as you can. You’ll thank us for this.

5. Develop Good Habits

College means you’re no longer a kid, so you cannot afford to be as carefree as you were in high school. It’s time to lay down the right foundations upon which your entire life will be built. This is the perfect time to start developing and establishing good habits that will help you later on in life. Eat right whenever possible. Get as much sleep as you can. Find time to exercise regularly. Stay on top of your academics. Learn to value money. Have a healthy work-life balance.

6. Engage with Your Professors and Get to Know Them a Bit

While most college kids don’t want to do anything to do with their professors outside the classrooms, they do the opposite. Take the time to interact with your professors outside class. You’ll find out that they have greater wisdom and knowledge to offer that goes beyond the subject they’re teaching. Many professors have taken on the role of a mentor to plenty of students. They have eventually become one of the most important relationships in their lives.

7. Work Hard

College is ridiculously harder compared to high school. The crazy amount of weekly requirements, reports, and tests can drive a person nuts if they are not organized and hard-working. In a way, it sort of prepares a young person for the demands of the real world. It teaches one that results don’t come without putting in the work.

8. But Don’t Forget to Have Fun Too

While the discipline of hard work is a great trait, one should also not forget to live a little. College is the best time to learn how to manage work and play. Life is never meant to be all about work. Neither is it meant to be only about fun. There should be a healthy balance between the two.

9. Spend Your Money Wisely

During this season, you’re practically an adult sans a full-time job. You get to live independently and spread your wings out a bit. But you also have certain limitations, especially with your finances. You’re there, but you’re not quite there yet. The key to surviving college financially is to keep track of your expenses and learn how to use your limited resources wisely. Build and develop good money habits as early as now so you don’t go through life in a constant financial struggle.

10. Do You

The need to belong is innate in human beings. This need will manifest itself the most during college. A lot of folks say they somehow found their identities when they were in college. Sadly, many people also go through life pretending to be somebody they’re not just to belong. Don’t let this need nor peer pressure determine who you are. Be true to yourself. You don’t need to be a jock or popular to belong. Don’t mind what people think and say about you. Keep it real every step of the way, and let your identity come out naturally.

College is a huge and integral part of most people’s lives. Getting in is hard enough but getting through the entire thing and graduating is a reward in itself. Make the most of this season and use it as a solid foundation to build your life upon.