disclaimer: i go to a big university, so just because the points i'm making in this post apply to me & my school, doesn't mean it will apply to your's. i'm just giving my opinions and experiences.
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classes, homework, and and professors:
in high school, you had everyone telling you how hard college was going to be, they gave you all these statistics on the amount of people who drop out their first year, they tell you you'll be reading ___ pages per night, blah blah blah. let me be honest with you, your first year of college is a breeze. the general education classes you'll be taking are a lot like high school. at my school, i had maybe 25 people in most of my general ed classes, with a few exceptions.
- to handle your work load, definitely get yourself an agenda, because i can promise you that you will not just "remember it all" after a long day of classes. write down all of your assignments, due dates, anything of the sort in your agenda. i can do a whole post on how i created my own agenda for this school year!
- make sure you know what your professor's attendance policy is, because you can automatically fail out of class for missing a certain amount of classes. i would say that the majority of students fail out because of their attendance. remember - you picked these days and times, so you need to be sure you don't have any conflicting schedules.
- also, be sure you have your school email address all set up and ready to go before you start school. i cannot stress this enough, because email is how all of your professors will communicate with you, and they typically will not reply to emails you send from a personal email account. utilize this tool to your advantage. if you need to be absent from class one day, email your professor and let them know. this will prove to them that it's something worth missing class over, and not just that you slept late (even if you did). if you have a question regarding a grade or assignment, email your professor. i know it can be awkward or intimidating to go up to them after class, so just shoot them an email, they will almost always get back to you. emailing back and forth with them is also great because it puts your name out there in a positive way. your professor is in control of your grades, so if they see that you are making an effort to talk to them and ask questions, they are more likely to help out your grades.
- make note of your professors' office hours, i have never really taken advantage of them because it would make me a bit uncomfortable, but they are usually more than welcoming when it comes to office hours.
- one more note regarding professors, when you sign up for classes, and find out your professors are, look them up on rate my professor, you can find out what past students have thought of your professors, whether or not the book is mandatory, etc.
- make sure you do keep up with your readings, because you never know when there could be a pop quiz in one of your classes. to make sure you have enough time, find somewhere you really like to concentrate and read, for me, it's the basement of my library. make sure it's somewhere outside of your dorm room, because it will have way too many distractions.
making friends and having a social life:
- keep your door open: if you're just hanging out in your room, keep the door open so you can say hello to some of your floor-mates. obviously shut and lock it when you're going to sleep/leaving the room
- always say "yes": this was my motto when i first started college. now, i'm not saying if someone offers you meth to "always say yes" BUT, if someone invites you to a party or to study together, go with them. you never know what kind of amazing friendships you could miss out on because you were to shy or nervous to say yes to something.
- college is a time to reinvent yourself, so don't be scared to try new things. if you typically don't hang out with a certain crowd or stick to your same routine, you could lose a lot of opportunities. my first semester of college was great, because in high school, i was weird. i was popular in the sense that i hung out with a lot of people, but i was weird. everyone saw me as the weird girl. but in college, you have a fresh start, i cannot stress this one enough. you don't have to feel like the weird girl in college, you don't have to feel like you're too awkward to make new friends. just be yourself, but also try to enhance your attitude and personality, and you'll make new friends in no time.
- i met my best friend and roommate, megan, the day of my freshman orientation. we were both starting in the spring semester, and were in line to get our picture made. she started talking to me, because we had always had mutual friends, and it's the one of the best friendships i've ever had in my life. so, just always have an open mind. if she hadn't decided to strike up a conversation with me that day, i would be a completely different person than i am today. so don't be afraid to talk to people.
- go to plenty of social events. in high school, i always thought i was too cool for prom and other dances, but in college you really should think about going to a few social events. find out if any bars in your ares are having 18+ nights, go to bingo nights, go to the football games (i'm guilty of never going to a football game in college yet..), things like that. get some of your floor-mates together and you can all go together to make it less uncomfortable.
dorms and roommates:
my mom always said she could never in a million years see me living in a dorm, and neither did i. i am pretty high maintenance and a bit of a diva, so it was a big change for me. however, i know it was the best choice for me because i can walk anywhere on campus i need to be and it's just very convenient. living in a dorm is not that bad, i promise. you get over the fact that you have to share a bathroom. if i had to pick the best part about living on campus it would be the friends i made. the worst part is the rules and regulations such as checking people in and the sort. make sure you know all of the rules that are involved in your personal dorm so you don't accidentally break any rules.
as far as roommates go, don't worry. for me, i had a randomly assigned roommate my first semester, and after a few weeks, i was able to change and start rooming with megan. try to find someone like this before you come to school as well, so you can be ready the day that room changes happen. i recommend going to your classes' facebook page and looking for someone, finding someone at orientation, or just rooming with your randomly assigned roommate. for me and megan, the fact that we didn't really know each other was great because we got to build a friendship over the course of the semester. if you choose to stay with your randomly assigned roommate, that's fine. a lot of people i know have had great experiences with that and ended up being best friends with them.
dorm essentials:
since there are a ton of lists online letting you know what you need to bring to school with you, i decided to make a list of some things you may not think of.
- cleaning supplies: windex, clorox wipes, anything you think you might need, based on how your dorm is set up. don't forget paper towels as well!
- flip flops: especially important if you'll be using a community bathroom. don't be that girl who goes into the bathroom with no shoes on.. it's just a bad idea.
- plasticware/paper plate/bowls: if you're bringing food, do not forget these things, you will regret it as soon as you go to eat something and realize you're s.o.l. same with a can opener!!
- large mirror: this is something you might really want, but your dorm doesn't include, so make sure you bring one.
- lamp: be sure to bring some kind of lamp (that is not on the restricted items list) because you never know if you will need a light on while your roommate is trying to sleep.
- sheets: bring an extra sheet set just in case you spill something on your's, this is sooo important!!
- under the bed storage: your bed will probably be raised, or have the option to be raised, and this is nice because you can put some of the clothes you won't need for a few months under your bed and out of the way.
- batteries: your electronics will run out of batteries, so make sure you buy extra batteries or a battery charger.
- first aid kit/bandaids: so important because you will cut yourself/scrape your knee, get a paper cut or something of the sort at least a couple of times a semester.
- umbrella: for obvious reasons. make sure you bring a good one, because mine has broken on me in the rain/wind & that is not a fun time so.. :/
- robe: if you're self-conscious about walking in the hallways with just a towel on, definitely bring a robe because if offers much more coverage and modesty than a towel.
- surge protector: very very important because you don't know how many outlets your room will have, and you can really never have enough.
- bluetooth speaker: not completely necessary, but i like to have one.
- coffeemaker: if you're a coffee person, definitely have one of these in your room so you can save money and avoid overpaying for a cup of coffee somewhere.
- laundry detergent/quarters: if you'll be staying on campus a lot and plan on doing your own laundry, these two are very important because you will more than likely have to pay to do your laundry.
- broom/dustpan: definitely bring these because, once again, you never know when you might need to clean something off your floor. also, be sure to sweep your floor about once a week.
- rug: it's nice to have because it keeps your feet from getting cold, it brings some color to the room, and it's easy to clean.
- coloring nook/crayons: bring something like this for you to do when you're stressed and need something to get your mind of of things. for me, i like coloring books and crayons because not only is it a huge stress reliever, but you also get pretty artwork out of it.
- safe: bring something that locks that you can put your important things in, because even though you may think you can trust someone, it's always best to stay on the safe side.
managing your money:
i had a request to talk a bit on this subject for this post, and it's kind of funny, because i honestly have no clue how to manage your money in college but i will try to give a couple of pointers. first off, try to avoid eating out a lot, not only is it unhealthy, but it's also expensive. even if you're just eating fast food, it all adds up to money that you've lost, when you could have eaten in your room. limit yourself to a handful of out-to-eat meals a month and you would be amazed at how much you could save. the same goes for coffee, smoothies, drinks, whatever it may be, a lot of times the convenience stores around and on campus will gauge the prices a bit, so whatever your favorite drinks are, have some in your dorm, and you'll save yourself money. if you like smoothies/frappuccinos - find copycat recipes online (maybe i'll do a whole blog post on this), and bring a blender to try making your own! my next tip would be to take advantage of student discounts, you would be surprised at how many places will give you a certain percentage off by having your student id on you. it's always worth it to ask. to save gas money, walk places that are within a reasonable distance. as far as textbooks go, do not, i repeat, do not, buy your books from the bookstore on our college campus, they will suck you dry. after your classes start, find out which books you are actually going to need and look up the prices for each one on different sites. if you know you are bad about losing books, spilling stuff on them, ruining them, etc, i would say go with buying your books. if you think you are responsible enough to take care of your books, go ahead and rent them, and you can just return them when the time comes. renting is usually a lot cheaper, but like i said, do what's best for you.
how to avoid the freshman 15:
i wasn't even going to include this portion, because i am not an expert on this subject, and i don't really see an issue with the freshman 15. if you put on a few pounds, that's okay. a few ways to avoid it would be
- working out: i'm sure your school will have a nice gym with equipment. try to make your way up there a couple of times a week if your schedule allows. a lot of time the gym is open late as well, so try to find out the hours at your school gym and find out what works best for you. the best part is, a gym membership is probably free with your tuition. if you're a little nervous about going to the gym, try some workout routines on youtube, there are a million, depending on what kind of work out you are looking for.
- eat healthy: this one is quite obvious, but can be very hard to actually do. the best thing i can tell you is, avoid eating out. even if you're making healthy choices at your school's cafeteria or fast food, you are still better off making your own food. you know where the ingredients are coming from, you know they're clean, and you can control your portions. i will definitely work on trying to find some dorm-friendly recipes this semester and keep you all updated on what i find :)
xo, hailey
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