As I finish off my senior year of college, I’ve been looking back on the past four years and reminiscing about my time at UNH. In the beginning of my freshman year, I was fortunate to encounter upperclassmen that gave me advice that I would live by for the next four years of my life at school. As graduation approaches, I now consider myself qualified enough to give advice to incoming freshmen so that they can experience four years of amazing memories that I was lucky enough to experience myself. I’ve compiled a list of advice that my friends and I have either received or learned over the course of our college careers. The first group of advice includes tips about the academic side of college:
- Take more challenging classes earlier so senior year is less stressful- senior year is overwhelming anyways, so don’t leave your harder classes for the last minute.
- Choose which L’s to take- taking L’s is inevitable in college, so choose which L will lead to the least amount of negative consequences (like skipping class to get an important assignment done or to prioritize your mental health).
- Take classes outside of your major that interest you- take advantage of courses your university offers and take a class on a subject you’d never have the opportunity to learn about otherwise.
- Stay organized- getting a planner to keep up with your classes and assignments eases a lot of the stress that comes with balancing a busy college lifestyle.
This next group of advice includes tips about the social side of college:
- Say yes to everything (that’s safe and legal) your first few weeks/months of school- this was the best advice I received freshman year, saying yes to grabbing coffee, eating at the dining hall, taking a workout class, or even walking together to class helped me make some great friends that I still have after four years.
- Take advantage of activities on campus- attending university planned events on campus can help you meet people you wouldn’t normally cross paths with, leading to friendships and connections that might help you in the future.
- Focus on yourself- college is a stressful time, so make sure you make time for yourself and prioritize your mental health, these next four years are a great time to learn about and improve yourself.
- Don’t waste your time- college goes by fast, so make the most of your time by taking advantage of new opportunities and taking risks, it might lead to memories you’ll remember for the rest of your life.