College can offer an amazing experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. In college, you can develop life-long relationships, get out of your comfort zone, gain new knowledge, make the first steps towards your professional career, and learn a lot about yourself. The first year in college, however, can be extremely challenging.
There’s no surprise if you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed out all the time: College is a completely new experience so you may feel uncomfortable and even exhausted because of the workload. However, if you know what to expect from your first year in college, you can prepare for it so this experience will be less stressful. In this survival guide, we will consider the best tips for freshman that will help you overcome some of the most common challenges of the first year in college.
1. Explore the campus
First of all, you should get used to your new home. For many students, their first year in college is also their first experience of living without parents. Therefore, if you want to avoid stress, the first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the campus and college life, in general. Go to college orientations so that you’ll be able to quickly navigate around campus and attend classes on time.
2. Find an academic advisor
A good approach is to talk to several advisors so that you can choose the one who resonates with your personality. A good academic advisor will help you start to plan your academic and professional career, provide advice on your assignments, essays and research papers. For example, you can evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different majors.
If an academic advisor is not available and there’s nobody that can help you write your essay, some essay help sites like www.betterwritingservices.com are able to write an essay for you or provide the guidance you need.
3. Get organized
You need to attend lectures, and you should also submit your assignments on time. Therefore, you need a clear schedule so that you can organize your learning process. To create a schedule, you should take into account not only classes but also the time you need for homework, exercising, socializing, etc. In other words, you should try to maintain a healthy work-life balance so that you won’t get exhausted from doing all your assignments at the last minute.
4. Join communities
During your first year in college, you will see countless flyers from college clubs, and sometimes, it can even get annoying. The best solution is to adopt a proactive approach and search for communities based on your actual interests and priorities. If you’re not sure that you’ll be actively involved in the life of a certain community, just keep searching until you find a club that you will really enjoy.
5. Talk to your professors
Demonstrate that you’re interested in the education process and show your proactive attitude. Talk to your professors so that you can start building relationships with them. If you face any problems, you’ll be able to continue communication instead of building relationships from scratch. Check out your professors’ office hours and see them in person. They can answer your questions, and you can also ask them for advice.
6. Prepare for ups and downs
On the one hand, college life means more freedom and new friends. On the other hand, you will also face many challenges associated with classes and assignments. Besides, you may feel homesick sometimes. The truth is, college life isn’t perfect, but neither is it completely awful. Prepare for difficulties but stay determined and motivated. You’re not alone — many students have to deal with the same problems.
7. Be responsible
College years are the beginning of your adult life. It might be difficult for you to handle many responsibilities so we recommend that you be realistic about your capabilities. Identify your most challenging areas. For instance, you may need to improve your time management or work with sources more effectively.
8. Consider a part-time job
Tight schedules aside, the lack of money is one of the most common sources of stress for college freshman. Although a part-time job will take your time, it might make your life less stressful because you will have more money. Besides, a job also gives you an opportunity to take a break from your studies and shift your focus to completely different activities.
9. Try something new
College gives you an opportunity to not only improve your existing skills and knowledge but also discover new passions and interests. For instance, you can join a club dedicated to something you’ve always wanted to learn more about. You may also consider various internships and opportunities to study abroad. Also Read – Is Zoom Good for Online Teaching?
Wrapping Up
Your first year in college can be very challenging, but you can avoid a lot of stress if you prepare for college properly. Develop a schedule and stick to it so that you can have enough time for all of your assignments. Build relationships with your peers and professors, and start to plan your further academic life. College gives many opportunities for academic and personal growth so don’t be afraid to use these opportunities.
