Rookie Mistakes to Avoid Your First Year of College

The transition from high school to college can be a challenging one and most of us come to this new place not really knowing what to expect and end up making a few first year mistakes that were completely avoidable. Here are just a few tips to keep in mind so that you can start this school year off right.
 
Make An Effort To Be Social…
One of the regrets that I hear the most from upperclassmen is that they didn’t make friends in the dorms because they were either wrapped up in high school friendships and relationships, or because they didn’t make an effort to do so. To avoid having the same regrets you should not only introduce yourself to everyone on the floor, but also keep the door to your room open so that when people make plans to head to the dining hall or out for the night you can be included. Be sure to include others in your plans as well and you will be sure to have new friends in no time.
 
…But Not Too Social
On the opposite end of the spectrum are the people who commit an act fondly known as “dormcest.” With the new coed living situation comes the inevitable crush on the hottie that lives just down the hall, however it would be wise not to act on these feelings in the heat of the moment. What may have started out as a spontaneous hookup can turn into days of rumors and months of awkward run-ins with the person. Instead channel your attention to someone who lives on a different floor, or better yet in a different dorm.
 
Get Involved
College should be a time to hone in on what really matters to you, but as a practice many freshman come in thinking that they should join every club that the college has to offer in order to find their niche. This tactic will simply insure that you receive emails from 40 different clubs for the rest of your college career. Pick a few activities that you are already interested in and pursue those further. Some favorites of CU students include Boulder Free Ride or participation on an intramural sports team. The bottom line is that you already know what your passions are, it is simply up to you to choose what to do with them.
 
Be In The Know
Part of being a successful student at CU is just knowing what resources are available to your to help you along the way. This includes things like research aids at the library, or even all the money we get for on campus printing, but also offices on campus such as Career Services. Having a place to turn to help with resume building or research papers can take some of the stress off of the first year. It allows you to become more efficient at getting work done, which ultimately contributes to a better learning experience. Another underutilized resource on is teacher’s office hours. Office hours are not only crucial for getting help in a course but also if you are looking for a letter of recommendation for scholarships or offers of internships. Building relationships with teachers is a worthwhile investment in your future.
 
Ultimately the biggest rookie mistake in college is not setting yourself up for success. Whether it be in social or academic settings it is important to prepare yourself for a different environment in which you really have to put yourself out there.