Freshman Fears: How to Survive Your First Year of College

College Freshman: four syllables and fifteen letters. Whether you are local from Morgantown or you are moving from another state, your first year of college is something you’ve yet to experience.  After surviving my first year, I’m here to tell you what small steps you can take that will make your freshman year one you’ll never forget!
 
Meet new people.
This is probably the most important step in order to have a successful first year at college, and it is also probably one of the easiest. It doesn’t matter if you are living in a dorm or living with you parents, there are plenty of ways to meet some people you ‘click’ with.
 
For starters, there are anywhere from 10-200 other people in your classes. Start talking to the person beside you. Not only can they help you get through the long hour of your horrible class, but you might have something in common with them. You can also meet new people in the Mountainlair, the campus Starbucks, and at campus-driven events such as “WVUp All Night”.
 
If these options do not sound appealing, you can always do something a little more daring and rush a sorority. Not only will you have the support of your pledge class and sorority sisters, but you will also meet girls from different sororities. Aside from making friends that last a lifetime, you will also meet frat guys (which let’s face it, isn’t a bad thing!) 
 
Go to the library.
Upon hearing the word “library”, you are probably thinking, “That’s the last place I’m going to go.” You might want to reconsider that thought, though. Trying to study in a dorm can be distracting, and studying at your house can be even harder because this is your “comfort zone”. If you go to the library, the only distraction you’ll have is the cute boy sitting at the table across from you. And, if you need a pick-me-up, there is a coffee shop on the fourth floor that is open until midnight during the week.
 
Don’t go crazy during the week.
I know it’s temping, but try not to go to the bars during the week. It is really easy to get behind on your school-work, and by going to the bars and clubs only makes the situation worse. College is a lot different that high school – you can’t just half-a$$ all of the work. You have two days to celebrate all of your hard work, sleep in, and forget what you were studying in your Biology class. Once Monday arrives, though, you better remember what time your class starts!!
 
Go to class.
The thing that everyone complained about most in high school was the absence policy. Well now that you’re in college, not all professors take roll. Here’s the catch-22… they will do things to make you come to class. For example, a professor might give out a “pop quiz” ten times during the semester. This, in turn, will count for 100 points. Imagine getting a zero on a test – you’d probably have a heart attack. Other professors will not post the lecture notes on their website, which screws you over for the final. Bottom line: go to class and your GPA will thank you.
 
Get to know the person that sits beside you in class.
Lets face it, you aren’t going to know everyone in every single class. Because of this, it is important to know the person you sit beside in your classes. Now, you don’t have to become best friends with them. You don’t have to know what their favorite color is, where they live, and if they talk to their parents every night, but you should at least know their name and cell phone number. In case you don’t make it to class or you just don’t understand an assignment, it’s important to be able to contact someone other than the professor. Professors aren’t always the best at returning e-mails in a timely manner, and for this reason, you should have someone else that knows what’s going on. You can also go to the library with this person and cram for the final together. Who knows, you might just stay in contact once the semester is over!
 
Get involved in a club.
The old saying is true – “Time flies when you’re having fun!” If you get involved in a club or activity, the semester will be over within a blink of an eye. There are always booths in the Mountainlair that are promoting clubs, and this is a good way to get more information on them. This is also another great way to meet people!
 
Have fun.
At the end of the year, you should realize that you survived your freshman year! Even though it will be stressful, much different than you expected, and there will be times when you want to throw in the towel, college actually is fun. They say these are the best times of our lives, and this saying is only true you make the best of it.