1. It’s okay to stay in.
When you first get to college, you feel like your room is a last resort. It’s helpful to spend some time socializing the first few weeks, but it’s second semester now—it’s okay to have some you-time. Whether it’s choosing to stay in Friday night or turning down an offer to go to the dining hall, you have the right to say “no.” People won’t hate you for it.
2. You don’t always have to get dressed up for class.
It’s okay to be comfortable. If you didn’t get dressed up for your high school classes, you definitely don’t have to look like you’re right off the runway for your collegiate courses.
3. It doesn’t hurt to get dressed up sometimes, too.
No need to obsessively plan outfits or comb your hair until every hair is in place, but it’ll feel good to get dressed up every once in a while. Sometimes it’s nice to save those good looks for a busy day—because when you look good, you perform well. Mondays are always a perfect day to dress up too, since it’s always nice to start the week off on a positive note.
4. Attend your classes—no matter what you did the night before.
Most college classes take attendance, and sometimes a student’s biggest downfall is accidentally exceeding the limit for absences. You might have a friend who found themselves without a scholarship or even getting kicked out of college, and nobody wants to be in that situation. Getting a few extra Z’s isn’t worth failing, even if it seems like it might be when you have 10 minutes to get ready for your 8:30 class.
5. A happy roommate means a happy life.
It’s important to communicate with your roommate, because failure to do so opens the door for a whole lot of high school drama. Be considerate and polite—nobody wants to spend Tuesday night sleeping on their friends floor to avoid their “monster roommate.” There’s nothing wrong with asking that laundry be done, the floor gets vacuumed and the garbage gets thrown out—you’re both paying for the room after all. If being honest doesn’t work out, changing roommates is always an option, too. If both you and your roommate are unhappy, chances are that you will both be onboard with organizing a switch.
6. Don’t be afraid of eating alone in the dining hall.
A lot of freshmen are afraid to eat alone because in high school that meant you “had no friends.” College is different, though. We’re all busy and sometimes you and your friend’s schedules don’t match up. It’s okay to grab a bite to eat by yourself. Likewise, some students could care less about eating alone, but just hate seeing so many people when they aren’t feeling so chipper. Don’t worry though, everyone is thinking that exact same thing. Unfortunately, as far as the dreaded dining hall food, there’s no solution for that.
7. It might be time to go to the gym.
For some second-semester freshman, there’s always a sense of pending guilt from not going to the gym enough first semester. For others, this feeling is matched with the infamous “freshman 15.” As second semester opens, a lot of students start to realize that it’s hard to excuse not working out—there is no membership fee and the gym isn’t that far away. There’s no need to obsess over working out, just fit a workout into your schedule whenever you have the time. You’ll feel more motivated and better about yourself.
8. Don’t procrastinate.
Whether you’ve procrastinated with your school work or the to-do’s for the clubs you joined, first semester probably taught you that it’s important to stay on top of your work. Handing things in late and waiting until the last minute doesn’t work in college—it’s all about time management. The sooner you get your work done, the sooner you can have fun (if you’re doing it the right way). Handing your assignments in on time and avoiding those “it’ll never happen again” emails will show your friends and professors that you’re a hard worker and deserve that recommendation come senior year.
9. It’s probably a good idea to watch what you spend.
Nobody can anticipate how much college costs outside of the thousands being spent just to attend. Some students can easily drop $400 plus on books alone while others might choose to spend the $400 on weekend shenanigans. It’s best to invest in only the things that are absolutely necessary, because you’ll wish you had saved up down the line (especially once spring break rolls around). Books are necessary, but is buying a pet hamster? Well, not so much.
10. It’s okay to sleep.
College is stressful and you need sleep. Don’t feel pressured to stay up until 6 a.m. watching reruns of “Friends “and eating “Easy Mac” just because your friends are. Staying up late increases the chances of you missing your morning classes, and nobody can afford that. At the same time, don’t go to bed at 8 p.m. every night—you’ve got to live a little. It’s all about moderation.
11. Don’t rush into a relationship—it’s okay to wait.
While some relationships form within the first weeks of freshman year and last through college, some couples aren’t so lucky. It might be a good idea to find your friend group and get a handle on your schoolwork before settling down. After all, you can’t handle caring for another person unless you have a grip on your own life.
12. It’s okay to start settling into your friend group.
During first semester, freshman tend to call everyone their “best friend.” You might be afraid of settling into a solid group because it makes you feel anti-social and unpopular. It’s college though—popularity doesn’t really exist. Second semester is a good time to start weeding through your hundreds of freshman best friends and finding the people you have a real connection with; these will be your friends for the next four years.
13. Don’t limit yourself to the same three friends, though.
While it’s good to start finding your “group”—the people you click with the most—it’s not the best idea to limit yourself to the same group all the time. Spending too much time with your clique can cause a lot of irritation, so it’s good to still meet new people and take a break. If your friends really care, they’ll be able to handle you grabbing lunch with someone else.
14. Get involved on campus.
For a lot of freshman, first semester’s biggest stressor is enduring the coursework. Being new to college life is hard enough of a transition, so joining clubs might seem like too much too handle. Now that it’s second semester, it’s a good idea to start getting involved. Whether you volunteer at the local soup kitchen or shoot for an internship, these experiences will look good on a resume and help you get any leadership positions you might want sophomore year.
15. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Have fun!
Even if you didn’t experience first semester breakups or gain the “freshman 15,” it’s a safe bet that you learned the biggest lesson of all: have fun. With all the stress that college puts on students, it’s easy to think that fun is out of sight. Determination, along with a little time management, is all it takes to enjoy your college career. Getting your work done on time and staying involved will make you feel good about yourself—and so will all the free time you’ll have for fun too. These are supposed to be the best four years of your life, so enjoy them.