5 Things I Wish I Knew as a Freshman

1.)   Jobs on campus are a plus!
·      I did not work my first semester here but I eventually found a job on campus that I absolutely love! I have learned many things that I could apply to my future career in different aspects. When we have downtime, I get to do schoolwork as well.
 
2.)   The Freshman 15 DOES exist
·      It is way too difficult to balance your diet while in college and not everyone has the time or motivation to exercise as often. There can be plenty of excuses as to why you cannot workout but since studying may be the biggest excuse, take your study guide with you to the Colvin and hop on the elliptical while reviewing your notes for your exam. Or better yet, if you do not want to miss that next episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, instead of sitting at home watching it, take your headphones with you to the gym and watch the show while cycling on the exercise bike.
 
3.)   Find a mentor
·      Finding a mentor or mentors can be extremely helpful throughout and even beyond your college education. Finding someone that possesses your dream job or someone that inspires you will be beneficial to you when it comes to making career decisions. This will be your go-to person when it comes to questions about classes, professors, career advice, personal issues or anything else that may arise.
 
4.)   Visit with professors during their office hours   
·      They have office hours for a reason, so take advantage of them. This will be your opportunity to get to know your professor so that when you are concerned about your grade or you need a letter of recommendation, you can talk to them confidently without that awkwardness in between.
 
5.)   Finally, the most important: Build up your resume!
·      Yes, it is your first year and you still miss home but it is not going to get any easier if you are sitting in your dorm staring at the wall or watching The Notebook while thinking about your boyfriend from back home while your roommate is hanging out with all the new friends she just made. From the start of your freshman year, you should already be looking at organizations or clubs you may be interested in. Getting involved is a great way to network (another important word you need to become familiar with). Next thing you know, you may be the next president of that organization you have been so involved with.
·      Volunteer work is a MUST! A lot of organizations do this already, so another reason to be part of a campus organization.
·      Internships are the key to success! Whether you are getting paid or not, employers look at these types of things when it comes to hiring a college grad. They want someone that has gotten out into the real world and experienced what it would be like to work in their field. The smart college students are the ones that get involved, build up volunteer hours, and take up an internship or two during their college years. It will be hard to compete with someone who has all of these things on their resume.