1. Time management is the biggest key to success.
Managing your time is one of the most important things you have to do once you get to college. You no longer have a mom to nag you to do your homework or laundry, and the workload in college is no joke. Trying to balance an exciting new social life, school, and getting enough sleep becomes a big challenge. Prioritizing everything and making schedules will help you feel less overwhelmed.
2. Call your mom.
Speaking of the mom that used to nag you about doing your homework and laundry – call her. The relationship with your mom changes once you’re in college. Whether it’s a five-minute call as you walk to class, or a two-hour conversation as you contemplate your life choices, calling your mom never hurts and almost always helps your situation.
3. The “Freshman Blues” are a thing.
Once the thrill of Welcome Week and football season dies down and the cold starts settling in, the “Freshman Blues” hit hard. From drowning in class work to impending exams, the time around November and December is always the saddest. It’s cold and stress levels are at their highest. Take a deep breath and always plan time for breaks and to just chill.
4. Never take an 8 a.m. class, no matter how early you woke up in high school.
“Oh, an 8:30 a.m. class? Anything’s better than 7 a.m. everyday for high school!” Boy is that wrong. In college, everything seems to be shifted. 11 p.m. still counts as “early” and the dorms at 1 a.m. could easily be mistaken for the dorms at noon. Whether you’re studying until two in the morning, or having a movie night with your girls the night before, an 8 a.m. will always be your worst nightmare.
5. Always have a stock of cold medicine and cough drops.
It’s inevitable; you’re going to get sick sometime during your first semester of college. It makes sense – living in such close proximity with so many people, you’re bound to cross-contaminate. So, you might as well be prepared for it. Stock up on Dayquil, Advil, and cough drops, even if you don’t need it all the time – there’s definitely someone in your hall that would be eternally grateful.
6. Even when you think you don’t have anything to do for your classes, you do.
There’s never a time where you can say, “Oh, I have no homework, I’m just gonna go sleep,” because even if you have nothing due, there’s always something you can be doing for every class. It’s never too early to start studying or start that final project, and you’ll thank yourself later when you aren’t bombarded by all of the things that piled up because you thought, “you didn’t have homework.”
7. You can enjoy your newfound freedom, but don’t take advantage of it.
College is weird. You have no curfews, no bedtimes, no one to tell you to go to class, and you finally get to call the shots. The freedom in college is both a blessing and a curse. Getting to plan your classes and what you want to do is great but going out on a weeknight when you have a 9 a.m. the next day? Maybe not the brightest idea. Again, it all comes down to how you prioritize the things in your life. Sure, it’s super exciting to go out and make friends and have fun, but it’s also important to not forget the reason you’re at college in the first place: to get an education.
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