Before starting my freshman year, my social media feeds were constantly being flooded with tips on how to survive college. Whether it was study hacks, what to pack, or how to stay involved, none of them helped all that much. As I am a sophomore now and have two semesters of experience under my belt, I decided to share my survival hacks for starting school.
Roommate
One of the biggest things that can affect your freshman year is your roommate. I was always told not to become best friends with your roommate and to have separate lives, but I strongly disagree. My freshman year roommate became my best friend after spending one night in the dorms together, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Without her, I wouldn’t have joined Her Campus, I wouldn’t have experienced going out, and I wouldn’t have a constant person I could always go to no matter the time or day. The biggest blessing of my freshman year was the fact that my roommate and I became best friends, and we are still roommates a year later.
Studying
Going into college, I thought I would be spending every free minute I had studying just to keep up. I quickly realized that this was not necessarily true, especially at the beginning of the semester. For me, I can get a lot done by setting aside one day a week to really focus on my assignments, studying, and getting organized. Having one dedicated workday gave me time to get ahead instead of constantly worrying about what I had to do next. I found it best to pick a day I had light classes, so I don’t overwork myself.
Of course, this depends on your classes and how much work you have, and some weeks will require more than others. However, do not convince yourself that you need to spend every night in the library. College is also about making friends, joining clubs, going to events, and enjoying your experience. As the semester gets busier, you may need to adjust, but having one organized day to reset each week is a good place to start.
Freshman 15
Everyone has heard of the “freshman 15,” and while gaining some weight during college is completely normal, there are still ways for you to maintain healthy habits without making food and exercise something to stress over. One of the easiest things to do is not eat out. No DoorDash, no Uber Eats, no fast food. The dining hall is right there; why spend money on food when you have a dining hall in your backyard? Feeling like I needed to save every cent I had made this easy because I didn’t think it was worth it to spend money on unnecessary food off campus.
Balance is important, too. Try eating regular meals, drinking plenty of water, and finding some kind of movement that you actually enjoy. It can be something as simple as walking to class. Most importantly, do not obsess over a number on the scale. Your body is adjusting to a completely new routine, and taking care of yourself should be about feeling healthy and having energy.
Staying Connected
One of the hardest parts of freshman year can be realizing that the people you are used to seeing every day are suddenly hours away. Even when you are having the time of your life, you will probably have moments when you miss home. When that happens, call your mom. Call your best friend. FaceTime your family. Hearing a familiar voice can make a bad day feel so much better. It can be tempting to get so caught up in your new college life that you forget to check in with the people who were there before you left.
Staying connected to home does not mean you are not independent. If anything, having people you can talk to can make adjusting to college easier. I found that even a quick phone call could make me feel grounded when everything around me felt unfamiliar. You do not have to choose between your new life and your old one. You can build something new while still keeping the people you love close.
Music
This might be one of the simplest pieces of advice, but it is something I learned quickly: when you are already having a bad day, do not make yourself feel worse by listening to sad music for hours. Sometimes you need to let yourself be upset, but sitting in your room listening to depressing songs can turn a bad mood into an entire afternoon of feeling sorry for yourself. Instead, make a positive hype playlist before you even need it. Fill it with songs that remind you of your friends, make you want to dance, or instantly put you in a better mood.
Looking back, I have realized that surviving freshman year is not necessarily about having the perfect schedule or knowing exactly what you are doing. It is about finding people who make you feel at home, figuring out what works for you, and learning how to take care of yourself when everything starts to feel overwhelming.