I made plenty of mistakes my Freshman year of college. This list is compiled of things that would have definitely made not only my life easier, but also start college on the right foot.
Read the Syllabus
Read your syllabus!! I know sometimes they’re 10 pages long and it seems so tedious, but there might be extra credit freebies in it. It’s happened in multiple of my classes. Some professors also add questions in the middle of the syllabus as a mini quiz that will help you start off your semester on the right foot.
Plan Out Your Assignments For the Entire Semester
The first thing I do when I get my syllabi from all of my classes is to sit down and write out the assignment due dates for the ENTIRE semester. This way, I’m not surprised by any assignments coming up. When it comes to midterms and other major papers, I write down in my planner, notifying myself that the deadline is two weeks away. It might seem extra but, trust me, when the semester is hitting you full force, and you haven’t found your schedule, assignments will sneak up on you.
Don’t Take Courses that Don’t Interest You
Your first semester should be about accustoming yourself to the college campus. There is going to be a large workload so you should be finding out how to manage your time. This leads to my point, don’t take classes in areas that don’t interest you. For me, I don’t like science, but I made the mistake of taking it my first semester. Don’t make the same mistake as me; take classes that are relatively easy as a segue into the harder courses in the following semesters.
Dropping Courses
If you didn’t take my advice from the previous point and you end up regretting a class, it’s OK. Within the first two weeks, you can drop a course and add another one. This might be an obvious point, but I was unaware of how to go about it. No one told me, and I was nervous to even try, but it ended up hurting me in the long run. DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, especially if it’s your first semester.
GPA is the Most Important Freshman Year
Your Freshman year GPA sets the standard for the rest of your college career. Let be honest with you, my Freshman year GPA was a 2.6. My grades have been better but that first year really dragged me down. Do not underestimate college, it is hard, and it consists of hard work and sacrifices. You need to understand all of this before you come in thinking you’re in some high school 2.0 environment. It’s all about work-life balance; don’t forget to have fun, just be mindful of your responsibilities.
Attend All of Your Classes
Professors obviously like students who attend their classes. They’re more willing to help and lenient with you if you show dedication to their class. Professors also sometimes give freebies in class–boost participation grade or insiders for the upcoming exams.
Do Not Buy Your Books Before the First Day of Class
I learned my lesson after my first semester of college. I had bought all the books I needed, then the professor said that we weren’t going to read 4 books from the syllabus. You can imagine how upset I was that I spent money on books I won’t ever look at again. Just wait until after the first day, professors will let you know which books are necessary for the course.
Go to Office Hours
Don’t be afraid to go see your professors, they like it! It gives them a chance to know you better, which helps when you need recommendation letters for internships or scholarships. Professors will also help you along the way regarding papers or questions on exams. Their office hours are literally meant for YOU. They just sit in their office and wait for any kids to come into the office, to ask questions, talk, etc.
Figure Out Your Productivity
Figure out when you are most productive; whether that is in the morning or late at night. Once you figure it out, wake up early or stay up late and get to work. Use those 3-4 hours and grind it out. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much you get done when you work during your most productive time. Finding out your groove in Freshman year will save you a definite headache later on.
Do Not to Procrastinate
Once you find out when you’re most productive, this shouldn’t be as much of a problem. Yet, you need to be organized as well—this where your syllabi and your planner come into use. If you have everything written down accordingly, giving yourself enough time to complete each task, then you could stay on task or even get ahead.
Join Everything
At the beginning of your Freshman year there are involvement fairs where you can sign up for anything you want. When it comes to clubs and organizations on campus, join everything that interests you. This does not mean that you have to commit right then and there; just sign up, and eventually, they will reach out to you with an informational meeting. If you’re still interested, then continue to attend meetings and if not, then stop going.
Follow Your Passions
Ever wanted to try out for the marching band? An acapella group? Running club? Do it! This is possibly your last chance to get into your passions. You don’t want to have any regrets about your college experience.
Rejection/Failure Will Be Inevitable
Rejection and/or failure will be inevitable while you’re in college. It could either come in the form of an exam, in relationships or whatever the case may be. The faster you come to terms with the idea of rejection and failure, the less stressed and anxious you will be in college.
Student Discounts
Take advantage of the discounts offered to college students. This could be at the movies, museums or even on your coffee run.
Long chargers
These are a lifesaver in college. I like to be on my phone while I’m in bed (probably not the best thing to do, I know) and my outlet is far enough that a regular charger wouldn’t reach. I used a 10-foot length charger, and you can easily use this anywhere in your room.
Most importantly, don’t forget to have fun! 🙂
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