The first week of school is stressful for everyone. It is like going cold-turkey on summer adventures and suddenly not having any time for yourself. Unfortunately though, unless you want to give up on college, there is nothing you can do but try to be as prepared as possible. Here is your to-do list for the first week of school.
Write your class schedule on your phone complete with times, days, and location. This one may seem obvious but you don’t know how many people I know that in between their classes are scrambling on CIS to find out where their next one is. To be even extra prepared, map all your classes and find the ultimate route in between them.
Go to Plaza Fest. No matter if you are a freshmen or a senior, going to Plaza Fest is a must. It is a great time to find out what our campus has to offer and how to be involved.
Double check that you have all needed books and supplies for your classes. This one is written in the hopes that you didn’t procrastinate and you bought your books ahead of time but if not, make sure to also add buying your books. Once you have the syllabus for all of your classes, it should have everything you need on it. It’s a good idea to get all of the stuff ahead of time when it is fresh on your mind so that you don’t have to scramble when the semester is bound to be even more difficult.
Introduce yourself to your professors. This one might be the hardest of them all on the list, however, I cannot stress how important it is. Introducing yourself to your professor gives a face to your name. You have to remember that you are one of his many students! On top of this remember as the semester continues to keep yourself in his memory to try and attend one or two TA sessions. This is extra important if you are interested in a letter of rec from them.
Make a weekly calendar. Time management is one of the most important things in college- especially if you are part of mulitiple extra curriculas, work or have other things besides school going on. Making a weekly calendar and scheduling everything out will make yourself less stressed and help you stay on task.
Schedule some time for yourself. Summer ending equals less time for yourself, plain and simple, but it is so important to still keep some ‘me time’. Whether it’s going for a walk, unwinding with some Netflix, or getting a Starbs, make sure you are doing something that makes you happy at least once this first week.
Try to make a new friend in each class. Having to force yourself into making new friends when you are in college may seem like a ridiculous and almost childish concept, particularly if you already have a very set group of friends, however, I am certain that there will be one morning where you just do not want to go to class and you will be thankful for this new friend when you need that day’s notes.
We know, we know, even after all these tips you are still dreading Monday, but we guarantee that if you do all of these things, your week will be just a little better and you will have a smoother transition.