So, you’re finally going to college. Congrats on taking your first step into the real world! You’re either really excited and can’t wait to get out of town or biting your nails wondering whether you’ll survive. Well for those of you either eager or dreading the first year, I can relate on both counts. How, you ask? Let me explain.
During my fall semester of freshman year, I was a wreck. I realized I didn’t like my major and I was in a friend group I didn’t vibe with. When I scrolled through my Instagram feed, all my friends looked like they were having a great time which made me even more miserable. At one point, I had thoughts of taking a gap year, or worse, dropping out.
Fast forward to spring semester and I am thriving! I’m always busy, I love my new major, I made new friends who I feel connected to, and I’m excited to jump head first into my career when I graduate. You’re probably wondering how I made this complete 180 (duh!), so here are some tips I’ve learned along the way that could help you navigate those daunting first months:
CREATE A PLANNER
If you want to stay ahead of the game, you’re going to want to have a planner. It helps you stay focused and can reduce the anxiety that comes with freshman year. I strongly recommend using Google Calendar because it includes a color-coding feature and I can look at a whole month at a time, which helps me judge when I should start writing an essay or studying for an exam. I would also suggest placing homework assignments a few days or a week before it is due—depending on the assignment type—and including the due date on them so that you can clearly keep track of when you need to complete each task.
Make sure to set aside a day to work on creating your planner. You’re probably not going to want to plan out a whole semester worth of assignments for each class. Instead, break it into small chunks. For me, I take it one month at a time. Depending on your major, this may not work for you. Maybe you only have time to plan out two weeks worth of assignments and that’s okay! As long as you’re able to stay on top of your work, that’s when you know your planning strategy is working for you.
discover your calling
Most people don’t know what they want to do when they graduate college, which is completely normal. In fact, a staggering 75% of college students come in either undeclared or change their major at least once. If you already know where you want to go in life, then great, you can skip over this. However, if you have no clue what you’re doing or uncertain about whether your major is right for you, you may want to read on!
First off, ask yourself this: Do you like your major? If you’re leaning towards no, identify the problem. Is it because the professors suck? Do you find yourself uninterested in the subject? Asking these questions allow you to recognize both your disinterests and interests about your major which can help you decide whether it’s best to give it another shot or time to switch.
For my undeclared people, it’s best to figure out what you don’t want to do first. Do you hate math or writing? Logic or creativity? Science or art? Knowing your dislikes can help you discover your interests and lead you onto the right career path.
Keep in mind that college is an expensive endeavor. Some say, just follow your passion! Others might tell you, get a degree where you’ll make a lot of money. Doing either of these means you are either sacrificing money or happiness. But it shouldn’t have to be a choice. Instead, you want to find a balance between passion and money. For example, I was originally an English Special Education major, but I soon realized that I didn’t want to be a teacher. So I switched over to being an English major when I figured I’d rather be an editor. Again, I found that the editing and publishing field is a shrinking job industry combined with relatively little pay and not much room for growth. So I researched other careers and found I could use my degree to become a copywriter. They write in a marketing context and although I don’t consider it my passion, it really interests me. Plus, it comes with plenty of job opportunities, room for growth, and a generous income.
Try researching the possible careers that you can go into with your desired major and look for their salary ranges, job opportunity, and if you can move up the career ladder. Also, if you have room in your schedule, look for possible minors that can compliment your major that you can use to market yourself with when interviewing with future employers.
get involved
I can’t stress this enough. If you’re looking to build a network, joining relevant clubs is key. Become part of an E-board. It looks good on your resume. This can also open doors when applying for internships. Employers like to see that you’re gaining relevant work experience besides focusing on academics.
find your friends
Now I don’t mean you have to strike up a conversation with everyone you bump into in the first week, but if you live on campus, try introducing yourself to those you live closest to: the people on your floor. In some cases, you may not become best buds, but they could introduce you to your future best friend. If you’re a commuter, classes can give you an opportunity to connect with your classmates and find those special people. Or, it may happen by chance. Above all, finding your people takes patience. No matter what, you just have to trust the process.
have confidence
It may seem like I’m stating the obvious, but having confidence truly improves your outlook on life. When you feel like you’re failing, it takes confidence to get back on your feet. Don’t underestimate your abilities either. In the past, when I would sit down to write an essay, I constantly questioned my work to the point where I overanalyzed it. When I got back my paper and found that I earned an A, I realized that I was undermining myself. College takes a certain mindset. It’s how you choose to see yourself that determines whether you succeed or flunk.
live a little
Most importantly, have fun. It may seem like a long journey of homework and exams, but those four years fly by in the blink of an eye. Take a day to hang out with friends or watch a movie. You deserve some time to yourself. Make the most of it!