Ultimate Freshmen Guide: Getting Through the First Year of College Like a Pro
Making a leap from being a high-school kid to becoming a college student, getting through without any academic, social, or domestic hardships is close to impossible. Textbooks don’t teach school graduates when it’s better to do their laundry or how to establish and preserve good relationships with your at times annoying roommates. So to keep you from getting snowed under the avalanche of freshman-year unexpectedness, we’ve put together the most common mistakes that can make the life of new college students a nightmare. Follow up not to let them get you off the track!
Top-7 Freshman Traps And Tricks
A quick disclaimer: some of the following college mistakes and errors might not seem like a problem at all. It depends on your former experience of living away from your parents or studying abroad during school time. So if you’re already familiar with a couple of the “don’ts” - good for you! But we can assure you that even the most advanced self-contained freshman will find some surprising points too.
Don’t Start Off by Ditching Classes
Arriving at the campus, you might be shocked at the number of new things awaiting you there. New acquaintances, dorm duties, entertainment clubs, and a million other factors that will constantly try to drive you away from the prime reason you’re there - education. So it would even sound illogical to make a choice in favor of skipping classes. It doesn’t mean your college life should be turning around lectures and assignments - of course not - but to enter the level of safe-class-ditching you’ll have to get a clear understanding of how the college academic routine works. And to that end, you’ll have to attend as many classes as possible at the beginning.
Don’t Turn a Blind Eye On Inefficient Time Management
The time management issue actually resonates with people of any age and background. Developing time taming skills is harder than it seems. Knowing the basics methods and techniques that can put your academic and social life in order is invaluable, especially during the first term. Since you’re the master of your schedule now, you’re free to decide how your day will look like. But if you feel that procrastination wins, don’t make it a habit - look for a time-management solution that will bring balance and order to the chaos of daily life.
Don’t Underestimate The Power of Your Professors
Yes, they have much more power than making your test papers and influencing the GPA. Here we’re talking about the future they can help you build. Apart from being a source of useful insider subject information, teachers and professors usually have connections with employers fishing for bright promising students. By staying in touch with more experienced people working in your field, you multiply your chances of building the career you want from a younger age and with fewer mistakes. So if you still don’t know your teachers’ names - it’s time you learned them by heart.
Don’t Lose Sight of Your Finances
The financial topic appears to be one of the most painful for freshmen who haven’t been used to managing their own finances thoughtfully at home. That’s why we decided to dedicate special attention to monetary mistakes that make the lives of first-year students a disaster.
● Don’t Let Your Money Plan Slide
Living at parents’ cost or spending cash as if you’ve got a money-printing machine at home sounds great but infantile. Stepping out of the nest is inevitable so you’d better be prepared to manage money like a grown-up. College life reality may be harsh at times but in fact, it’s just a light demo version that will actually define all the latter stages of your adulthood. Financial intelligence is one of the most important skills one has to acquire, so learning how to distribute your budget, planning purchases, tracking spendings, cutting on some excesses, and knowing where to loosen the grip - are literally the pillars of financial freedom and stability.
● Stop Abusing Credit Cards
The above-mentioned financial intelligence includes some knowledge about the credit card system functioning. So if you still think that having a credit card is a magic wand with unlimited money to borrow, read at least a couple of financial articles on the topic before you are trapped in debts.
● Don’t Forget About Rainy Days
“Living for today” is a modern trend and it’s a true luxury when you can afford not to think about your future well being because it’s taken care of. However, in most cases, people have to worry about some future events that might take us by surprise, pleasant or not. That’s why having a financial safety cushion prepared is a smart move for a calmer future.
● Don’t Ignore Financial Aid Sources
Even if you manage your budget carefully, life can make significant unexpected amendments to it. In such cases, it’s vital to remember that you’re not left alone with your problems and turn to someone who can help you out. Every college has a financial assistance department that specializes in aiding students in complicated life circumstances. Don’t hesitate to drop by in case of need.
Stop Putting Up With Raw Learning Skills
Just like in the case of poor time management, learning skills are your paddles in the ocean of academic life. You’re unlikely to stay afloat if you have nothing to row with. Learning skills like speed reading, smart note-taking, essay writing, critical analysis, and some others are essential to feel competitive and agile. While you’re at home, make a small research on how to bridge the gap in your learning skill set before you’re out there sinking.
Don’t Joke With Deadlines
One of the most important words in the life of a college student is “deadline”. If at your local high school teachers could be flexible about the date and time they collect your written assignments, college is something else. Professors won’t set aside their life to read the paper of a single student with poor memory to remember the deadline date, they’ll just mark your work as absent. You don’t need such a start, so make use of your phone notifications if memory isn’t reliable enough.
Sleeping Is Still Necessary
You’ve heard that like a million times but here’s once more - regime and efficient period of sound sleep is crucial for your academic performance. All the information that you memorize during the day can’t be stored and organized properly if you don’t let your brain do it at night. Parting, late-night studying, admiring the stars at night - these are understandable, just don’t break the balance too often.
A Couple Of Freshmen-Targeted College Life Tips
Okay, now you know the challenges that will meet you behind the college doors. But how about some life hacks and tips on making your transition period easier? Let’s get to it.
Socialize
“How can I possibly get through college without socializing?”. Actually, a lot of students do because they simply don’t want to get out of their comfort zone. Well, college is a unique place full of talented people and one-in-a-lifetime experiences, and by locking yourself in, you let real life go past never to come back.
Develop Proactivity
College is a place where there’s something always going on. Living with such a vibe encourages students to forget about procrastination and use every spare minute to do something useful, fun, or amusing. Forget about being a lazy bone - at least for a couple of years.
Look Out For Scholarships
The number of scholarship funds is getting bigger with each coming year making thousands of students a bit happier. But applying for a scholarship is not always an easy and quick thing to do. What’s more - deadlines are inflexible. So the tip is never to stop looking for grants and scholarship programs to be on the safe side when the previous one is exhausted.
Find a Study-Buddy
It has been scientifically proven that studying alone is less efficient than in pairs or groups. The other person gives you motivation, ignites competitiveness, responsibility and simply makes the process more fun. Why not give it a try?
Use All The Options Available
When paying for studies, most students forget that they’re paying not only for classes but also for a bunch of campus options like interest clubs, professional consultants’ help, gym passes, and many more additional things. Try at least once to make use of them - they’re already paid for.
Look For a Mentor
As we’ve already mentioned, professors and teachers are more than just people who conduct lessons and mark papers - they are a source of invaluable information and opportunities. So if you have a teacher you admire, don’t be afraid to ask one for advice or an opinion - adults love to be mentors for the younger generation.
Keep Your Space Unpiled
If your room is a mess your mind becomes messy as well. Of course, it’s quite challenging to keep all your stuff in order while sharing the space with another person, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Make yourself used to cleanliness and get rid of all the useless stuff the moment it becomes one.
Look For a Study Spot
Some people hate studying in silence, others love quiet and peace. Take a moment to think what surrounding is best for your effective learning and focus on spotting a place that will cater to your needs - all campus is at your disposal.
Mind Your Diet
But as far as a real brain diet goes, I often like to read sample essays on Gradesfixer.com. And we’re back to the basics. Your body needs proteins, carbs, and healthy fat to be balanced on your plate. If you decide to ignore nutrition rules, in a couple of weeks you’ll have to say hello to fatigue, skin problems, lack of focus, grades decline, and a bunch of associated issues. Why risk it all if healthy eating is easier now than ever?
Be Prepared To Combat Stress
Examination sessions, deadlines, neverending assignments are just a couple of triggers that each college student faces repeatedly. If there’s no way to let the steam off and relax - one day you’ll explode emotionally. To avoid “overheating” think of things that make you happier and help you unwind and do them when you feel close to the edge.
Nobody’s Cancelled Exercising
If you aren’t in the habit of setting aside some time to do some exercises - there’s no better time than now. Engaging yourself in sports is not only a great stress outlet but also a way to meet new people and obviously strengthen your stamina - it never hurts.
Know Your Enemy
When it comes to serious preparation for tomorrow’s classes or dealing with a complex and time-consuming task, there’s always something that gets us off the track. Social media, sudden side-thoughts, Netflix, an urgent need to call a BFF to chat. All those things prevent us from completing our missions as fast as possible by putting them off. We all know how it ends. So don’t let your brain fool you - define your personal distractors and isolate them until the task is done.
The Final Word
It’s okay to make mistakes, they are a never ending source of our development and an indicator that we are not standing still but trying to move forward. Of course, the errors described above differ strongly from one another. It’s relatively easy to clean up your dorm space and keep it that way but starting to develop time management skills is not an easy task to accomplish. Our aim is to get you acquainted with the pitfalls you might face at the beginning of your college life and let you decide which points to pay
special attention to. It may be tricky at first but we bet you’ll find your way to a balanced college life if you stay focused and keep in mind the tips and tricks we’ve shared with you above!
