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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Siena chapter.

As the school year is finally hitting us full swing, I know many of you freshmen are becoming overwhelmed (as was I), and hoping that your first year of college goes perfectly. I made many mistakes along the way, and I have now learned from my own experiences some awesome tips that I wish I knew heading into freshman year.

 

Sleep is Important!

I can’t even count the number of times I hardly slept freshman year, and let me just say, my lack of sleep showed! You cannot underestimate the importance of getting enough sleep on a regular basis. My best advice to you is to plan sleep in your schedule. If you physically plan out when you are going to sleep then you are more likely to actually make it a habit. 

Get Off Your Phone!

I wasted so many hours of my time scrolling through Instagram or reading Snapchat articles on things that I literally did not care about just to distract myself from doing things that actually mattered. If you can’t resist the temptation of your phone being right next to you, I advise putting it on “do not disturb” and turning it face down away from you. Social media will still be there when you’re done, I promise!

Give Yourself Enough Time to Get Ready

If you are anything like me, then you are someone who needs her coffee and a substantial breakfast to fully function. There have been so many times where I slept in too late and had to struggle through the day off of a granola bar and snacks. Sleeping in isn’t worth it! Don’t snooze your alarm so you can wake up and do the things in the morning that help you take on the day as the best version of yourself.

Your Friends Can Wait

The thing I regret the most about freshman year was getting distracted by friends. I constantly put off homework just to talk about anything and everything with my friends for hours. My advice is to do your work first, then spend time with friends later. This way the time spent with friends will be more meaningful because the thought of homework isn’t sitting in the back of your mind.

 Don’t Spend All of Your Money on Food

I wasted way too much money on food that was readily available to me on campus. You have a meal plan for a reason, use it! There are so many food options on campus, you are bound to find something you like. Also take advantage of free food events that happen regularly. Saving your money is something you definitely won’t regret!

I hope all of these tips help you have the best freshman year possible. Of course it is not going to be perfect, but these things will definitely help things run more smoothly. Good luck, freshmen!

Samantha Welsher is a Siena College Class of 2022 alumna. She studied Mathematics during her time at Siena.