15 Tips for your Freshman year of College

  Class of 2019!!! College is approaching faster than you think, and with that in mind, it is important to start this new chapter with a few tips to ensure you have the best year you can possibly have. Here you can find the 15 things you can follow to help guide you through your first year of college.

15. Watch out for the “Freshman 15”

   All of senior year we have heard of this myth, but when you get to school, you realize how real it is. Now that our parents aren’t here to watch our every move, it is crucial NOT to go for the nachos or pizza everyday, and maybe eat a salad for the first time in your life. Not only should you watch what you eat, but most colleges have gyms that are free for students, so taking a trip down to this torture chamber is one of the best ways to stay active even though you might feel like you’re slowly dying.

14. Don’t make Netflix your best-friend 

Although Netflix was a gift send from God, you should not be on this website more than you are with actual people. You can be on Netflix when you are at home on breaks or when you weren’t invited to a party, but to avoid the second one, maybe hang out with real people for a change.

13. Dress Presentable

  Now we all know that looking nice ends up feeling like a chore, but at least look like you didn’t crawl out from a cave. It’s so funny to see how many people are dressed up for the first month of school and then by month 2 they are looking like an unknown species. For this tip, I’m not saying to look like Beyonce everyday, but at least look decent. Whether it’s being clean and wearing cute comfy clothes like jeans and a sweater to workout legging and a nice sweatshirt, it’s important to make people comfortable looking at you and not wanting to run from you or pour soap all over you.

12. Be Outgoing

 In life it is always important to be yourself and not change who you are, but it is never a bad thing to open up to more people. If you are always that shy person, then people might not want to go up and talk to you so they can avoid the awkward conversation that would most likely occur. Almost every single freshman will be happy to talk to you because they are trying to find friends too, so just don’t be scared and walk up to someone and make a friend.

11. Try new things

   College is all about finding yourself and getting a degree. There are so many ways to try new things so you would be an idiot if all you did was stay in your room and be lonely. Whether it is trying new foods, playing a new sport, or even a lifestyle change, it is important to be open to new experiences so that you are able to not only brag to your friends, but also discover new interests or maybe learn from mistakes.

10. Live in the dorms (if possible)

  For some people it is not possible to live in the dorms, but if you are able to… THEN DO IT! Living on campus gives you the upper hand because it helps you adjust to college a lot better and you get to meet more people that way. Although living in shoe boxes for 9 months can suck, make the most of the situation and make friends with the people in your hall and hang out with some of your classmates outside of class.

9. Create a Roommate Agreement

  Now like tip #10, if you are not staying in the dorms this does not apply to you, but if you are, then this is crucial to have because living with a stranger is hard. To make things easier from the start, you should talk with your roommate(s) from the beginning so that there is no one over-stepping their boundaries and you have a clear idea what not to do.

8. Stay in touch with some friends from home

  Every college student knows when they come home from school (especially for the first break) that things are very different when you come back. Whether you are a few hours to a plane ride away, it is still important to try and stay connected with some people from home. If we are being honest then there are probably very few people you liked in high school so if it is just keeping up with them on their social media by liking pictures, commenting, or even a private message; it will definitely help to have people to hang out with when you are not in school.

7. Get involved

  For all of you incoming freshman who were those kids in high school who didn’t think it was “cool” to get involved then you are going to be very lonely in college. Being a part of clubs, activities, etc. not only gives you a chance to meet new people, but also to find or continue some interests.

6. Prioritize your life

  This might seem like a shocker but did you know we are in college to learn? Even though this is a idiotic statement, some college students treat school like a party 24/7. If you are spending this much money just to learn, then you better take it serious. But with that you still have the right to have a good time; it is just very important to know when to have fun and when it is time to cry while reading multiple chapters for hours on your bed.

5. Don’t try to hard to fit in

  If you forgot… WE ARE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL! When you get to school you will realize that there are so many people there, so there is no reason to try and fit in with a group of people that you don’t mesh with. One way to meet people is to talk to hall-mates or join clubs or other interests. Remember tip #7 Get Involved…

4. Explore campus town

  Your campus town is a very important place because you will (hopefully) be spending the next 4 years there so exploring the area would not be a bad idea. Whether it is a big or small town, I guarantee that there is SOMETHING to do so that you are not stuck on campus forever. This is very important for freshman because in most cases, freshman aren’t allowed to have vehicles and even if you are, just explore and be active.

3. Meet different types of people

  One of the perks of being a college student is that you get to meet so many different people from different places. Even if you are attending a small school, that doesn’t mean that you have less of a chance of meeting new people from new places or maybe they are just different from the people you used to hang out with in high school.

2. Don’t reminisce on high school 

  Sadly I have seen this too many times where freshman don’t have the exact same life as they did in high school, so they mope around and don’t enjoy college. It is no surprise that college is a totally different experience than high school because there are a lot more freedoms and responsibilities that are given to you in college. So enjoy them and don’t look back on that part of your life because I am certain that your high school experience was nothing compared to ‘High School Musical’ so it’s not worth being sad about.

1. HAVE FUN!!!

  Finally tip #1! This is one of the most important because college is a part of your life that only happens once, and after college you will have so many more responsibilities given to you and your life will change forever. So with that in mind, enjoy this time and meet lifelong friends, find some passions, and most importantly discover yourself and get ready for the real world.