You may be wondering how this whole thing works. How is college different from high school? How can I manage my social life, work life, and school life without having a mental breakdown? And most importantly, how do I make friends?
College is a brand new world and it’s all about finding yourself and creating your life for your future success. It is a place to find who you are and often find who is truly important to you and who really has your back. It will definitely be tough at first, getting used to a new area, new people, and new expectations. But it is important to remember there are tons of people in your shoes!
School Life
College is different from high school because you have much more responsibility and not many people telling you what to do and when especially if you are dorming on campus.
- It is best to deal with this by getting a planner or notebook to keep track of all of your assignments. You are paying for school, you should get everything you possibly can out of this experience.
- It is very important to go to class because the most effective way to pass a class is to go to that class. Make your professor familiar with your face, and participate, if and when you slip up and do an assignment late or can’t go to class, they will be more understanding if they know you and know you often participate and care about their class.
- All of your assignments are on you; no one is going to ‘keep you in check’ or bother you about doing your assignments on time. It is up to you to do them in a timely manner. You no longer have your mom or dad on you every day about doing your homework, at least not in person.
- Create study groups! Maybe for you, it is easier to learn and remember information if you are working with a group of your peers. Everyone is in the exact same boat as you, so don’t be scared to reach out to your classmates or professors for a little extra help – they probably need it too.
- Figure out which type of learning you prefer. If you like online classes, async classes, in person classes, or hyflex classes better. Personally, I am an in person learner. I like to go to class and listen to my professor and peers interact. For you, it could be different. It is important to figure out which is best for you and how to juggle your time, and most colleges offer all of the above!
Social Life
It can be very difficult to keep track of your social life, especially for people who are far away from home. It is important to keep in touch with the people who are important to you as well as meet new people while at college.
- Join a club! There are tons of clubs on campus for everyone and anyone, from the Black Student Union, Her Campus, and Student Government. It is also a great way to meet friends and get involved with the school. Most of these clubs meet during the free periods, so you don’t have to worry about classes interfering.
- Keep up on social media and texting. Your phone is gold when it comes to keeping in touch with your old friends and family. Try to text or call your people when you can but don’t be stressed about having to speak to them all the time. Be over communicative, tell your friends you don’t have time to talk every single day, make study dates for your friends who are in different schools, schedule movie nights over RaceTime, and download BeReal (I love this app. I think it is cute and semi-authentic). Take advantage of your phone, but remember you don’t have to be on it 24/7.
- Be more involved at your college. Not only joining a club but going to events. There are tons of events throughout Pace University for clubs and in general. This will also help you make friends.
- Talk to people, compliment people, start a random conversation about nothing with anyone, and then swap socials. Use social media to your advantage, and follow and add everyone you can.
Work Life
- Don’t overwork yourself. It is nice and sometimes necessary to have a job while you’re in college but don’t let that be the only thing you do and miss out on things you want to do. Create a schedule that allows you equal work and fun life. Leave at least one full day to yourself to unwind and de-stress and just have fun with your friends. It is very important to take care of yourself, and it is very easy to do too much; you are your number one.
- Have spa days or stress-free days. Schedule days out of your week or times of your day when you just sit, relax, and breathe. Go to the park, go to a museum, do a face mask, have a sleepover, watch a movie, take a walk, or take a bath.
Now that I have given you the stepping stones to becoming a successful college student, use them to your advantage and always remember everyone here is in the same boat as you or once was in your shoes.