Well fellow freshmen, congratulations! We have made it through our first few weeks in college. By now you’re probably starting to learn that you have to do things a little differently around here, and if you’re struggling, here are some tips that may help.
1) Check Your E-Mail…like all the time
In high school, you may have used your e-mail fairly often. In college, you should check it multiple times daily. Whether its professors cancelling class (don’t be the one that walks all the way there), UT alerting you to move your car for the football game, or Canvas sending you reminders about assignments or exams, you will receive e-mails frequently and should always be on the lookout!
2) Actually Do the Assigned Reading
Don’t lie, we all know when a teacher assigned reading in high school we read maybe a few pages if we were feeling especially studious, but for the most part it was either blown off or Sparknotes was our “reading.” We got by with that! College, however, is almost nothing but reading for a lot of your classes. It may be overwhelming, and you may be tempted to resort to your high school ways. Trust me though, you would rather spend a few hours reading than spending the rest of the semester trying to recover from those quizzes you failed or those exams you weren’t prepared for.
3) Take Naps
You’ll learn quickly that between school, a social life, extra curricular activities, and work, sleep soon takes a back seat in this hectic college life. But you can’t let it! Sleep is vital, especially for a college student. If you get enough rest, you’ll do better in school and be happier and healthier in general! Although you may not have been a nap person before, you will become one here. The great thing is, you can take a nap anywhere: in your dorm, on the south mall in front of the tower, in the Student Activities Center. So be sure to squeeze one in between classes if you know you didn’t get enough sleep the night before!
4) Share Your Space
So you have a roommate now. Long gone are the days of your own bedroom with complete privacy. Dorm living doesn’t have to be a bad thing though! If you are a good roommate, having a companion in this time of change and craziness can be really awesome. Always be respectful. Talk things out with each other – be honest! If you both work together to make sure your shared space is comfortable and happy to live in, things will be just fine.
5) Be Self-Motivated
There will come a morning (or all of them) when your alarm goes off to get you up for your 8 am, and you’re tempted to hit snooze and sleep in. Don’t do it! You have to go to class, you have to do your work, and you have to make some sacrifices. That means maybe missing out on that frat party all your friends are going to if you know you have a Calculus test the next day. In college, there are no parents or teachers to push you to get your stuff done. This is the first step to being an adult! So work hard. There will be more parties in the future, and sleeping in is not worth losing that A!
6) Put Yourself Out There
For the last four years, you hung out with the same crew. Now you’re at a school with 50,000 new faces and you may feel a little lost. It can be tough being a little fish in a big pond, but you aren’t the only one! If you make the effort, you will most definitely meet people. Be friendly to your neighbors. Stop by the various organizations tabling outside of Gregory, and join a few that you are interested in! Say hey to the person sitting next to you in class. Ask someone if they want to grab lunch. Being outgoing is a little intimidating for some, but you do not want to spend freshman year sitting alone in your dorm. If you are truly yourself (for real this time, no one cares about the person you pretended to be in high school), put on a smile, and say hello, you’ll start to meet people who may just be your new best friends!