Here are 15 of the best tips for college freshmen to survive the first semester! It’s no joke, college is a major transition and a bit scary to think about at first. But, going to college also marks the point where you finally get to be independent. It’s going to be a lot of work, but also loads of fun
Coming prepared with some of the best tips for college freshmen will help you navigate going back to college. These must-know tips for college will help you manage your first semester as a college freshman like a pro.
This post is a roundup of the best tips for college freshmen to get through the first semester!
This post is all about the best tips for college freshmen to survive their first semester at college!
Here are some of the best tips for college freshmen to make the most of the first semester away from home and get the most out of college life from the very start of school!
#1 Make the Most of Orientation
Yeah, orientation isn’t always fun, I’ll be honest. You feel like a fish out of water at first as they try to pair you up with random new people. The whole thing feels a bit forced. You’ll probably end up doing tons of icebreaker games, figuring out where your classes are, and put into groups. It’s all a bit awkward at the beginning.
But looking back, orientation is such a helpful way to make students more comfortable. It makes the whole move-in process and starting college a bit less intimidating. Orientation programs are designed to help you acclimate to college life, so try to make the most of it.
While it might be tempting to blow it off and not attend your orientation session, don’t do that. The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it. The sessions will give you lots of information about campus resources, academic expectations, navigating classes, and social opportunities.
Making an effort to actively participate in orientation can help you feel a lot more comfortable in this new college setting. It’s one of the easiest ways to connect with other students who are likely experiencing all the same nervous feelings you are!
#2 Pack Strategically
Packing for college requires some planning. Unless you want to be left with tons of forgotten items or left trying to cram way too much into a small space, I suggest you plan before you pack.
Look at a college packing list and make note of all the must-have college items for your dorm and that you’ll need for classes.
Some necessary dorm items include bedding, toiletries, storage items, and personal items that make your space feel more like home. Items you’ll need for class on the other hand include things like a laptop, study supplies, pens, etc.
Gather information on all the items you’ll need and stick to your college packing list! Seriously, don’t try to stuff your whole bedroom into some bins and try to bring it with you.
Dorms are small, remember that. You’re not going to have room for every last knick-knack. Come up with a plan for everything you’ll need and try not to stuff in much extra stuff. It’ll make the college move-in process way easier.
#3 Try to Have Patience With Your Roommates
Living with roommates can be both a fun and tricky part of going to college. If we’re being honest, you want luck on your side when you pick your roommate. It can be hit or miss sometimes finding someone you get along with and who you can tolerate living with.
If you choose to go random, be completely honest and thoughtful when you fill out the roommate match form. And if you don’t go random, try to get to know your potential roommate first. Ask them questions about their typical schedule and daily routines to figure out if you might be a good match.
When you get paired up, get to know your roommate and establish some basic ground rules. Discuss your expectations early on to avoid any unnecessary conflicts or arguments.
#4 Make Sure You Make Time to Have Fun
College isn’t all about academics. While it should be your top priority, you also need to make time to have fun and enjoy your college experience as well. Half of college is making connections, networking with others, and having a well-balanced social life.
Balancing your academic and social life will help keep you stay motivated throughout the semester. No one can or should do schoolwork 24/7. That’ll lead to burnout which is not a feeling you want to have your very first semester at college.
Go in ready to make your schoolwork a priority. Get the work done and then don’t be afraid to go out and have some fun. Some of the best and most successful students are the ones who make an effort to balance their work and social life.
I suggest using a planner and staying disciplined with your work throughout the week. Get it done early when you have the motivation, rather than waiting until the weekend when you should be relaxing and enjoying your time with friends.
#5 Use a Planner and Stay Organized
Another one of the best tips for college freshmen to learn is how to stay organized. College assignments pile up quickly which can make your first semester overwhelming. One of the best ways to ease the workload, stay on track, and reduce academic stress is to stay organized.
You can try using a planner, a calendar, a whiteboard, or sticky notes to keep track of your to-do list and to make sure you’ve completed your necessary assignments.
Make sure to carve out time to work on your assignments little by little. Experiment with different organization methods I mentioned above. Figure out what works best for you to stay on track with your coursework and get your college assignments done.
#6 Get Involved On Campus
Next up on the list of best tips for college freshmen is to get involved on campus. I know college is overwhelming and just the thought of completing all of your coursework can be tough enough. But if you stay on track with your assignments and feel like you can spare a little bit of time, try to get involved with some extracurriculars.
Whether that means joining clubs, organizations, sports, or seeking volunteer opportunities, is totally up to you. Your college experience is what you make of it. This means, the more people you try to meet and the more things you try, the more you’ll learn and grow.
Joining clubs and campus organizations is a great way to meet new people with similar interests and things in common. It can help you make friends and connections outside of your major. This will help you broaden your social network.
#7 Utilize the Free Campus Services
Colleges usually have a ton of different organizations and support networks to help you navigate college and the challenges of college life. These can include academic advising, tutoring services, career services, and mental health counseling. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of these services. They’re there to help and to be a resource for you as you deal with college life.
While it might seem lonely at college and difficult at times to be on your own, there are tons of people in your corner on college campuses who are more than willing to help and provide guidance. Seek them out!
Looking back, this is something I did not do enough of in college, especially my first year as I navigated trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to do. I wish I had just asked for a bit of guidance along the way instead of trying to do it all on my own.
By preparing thoughtfully and taking advantage of available college resources, you can make the most of your college experience. This will set the foundation for a successful academic journey.
#8 Practice Time Management
This goes right along with staying organized. Learn to manage your time! While we all procrastinate here and there (some more than others…I definitely did my fair share of it), college will be way easier when you learn to manage your time.
This means carving out specific time blocks to do work each day. Whether that’s an hour of work or an hour of studying, doing your work in smaller chunks can make it much easier to manage and less overwhelming.
There’s a learning curve to college coursework and figuring out which strategies work for you to complete assignments and minimize academic stress. But, learning to manage your time is typically a strategy that makes a huge difference!
Break down large projects into manageable segments. Set goals to complete parts of your assignments each day and set realistic deadlines to avoid last-minute stress.
Trust me, it’s not fun trying to get a whole paper done the night before. Don’t put yourself in that situation. Stay disciplined and try to get things done little by little. That way, you’ll still have time to do all the fun things that come with college life and you won’t be as stressed.
#9 Try Different Studying Strategies
College means tests, quizzes, and loads of studying. I don’t think studying is fun for anyone, but when you learn how to do it efficiently and effectively, you won’t have to spend six hours trying to retain all the information.
After five years of college and having to study for my occupational therapy board exam upon graduation, I’d say I know a thing or two about studying. Everyone has a different learning style, so the first step will be to figure out how you learn and retain information best. Are you a visual learner, auditory, or hands-on (kinesthetic) learner? Figure out how you best remember information and try to use this when you study.
For example, if you’re a visual learner, you could try drawing pictures, charts, or printing out photos to remind you of different concepts. If you’re an auditory learner, you may want to record yourself going over certain concepts and then listen to them while you study.
Regardless of what kind of learning style you have, everyone will benefit from applying the information. Memorization is great, but learning truly occurs when you figure out and practice how to apply the information.
Try to explain it in your own words, teach it to a friend, or demonstrate the learning material. When you’re able to do this effectively, you’ve likely learned the information.
A couple of other key tips are to break studying up into chunks. Your brain won’t be able to retain six hours worth of information at a time. Take breaks, and learn the information little by little.
You can also consider joining or forming study groups to help motivate you while studying and to benefit from collaborative learning.
#10 Make Time to Relax
Another one of the best tips for college freshmen to survive your first semester is to make time to relax. While balancing academics and a social life are both important, it’s also crucial to find time to relax and enjoy time for yourself.
Make sure to allocate time for relaxation, hobbies, and alone time each week to just chill out. Whether that means going for a walk, exercising at the gym, reading a book, or watching a show, making time to relax can help minimize college stress.
Prioritize self-care practices, such as mindfulness and adequate sleep. This way you can manage stress and maintain your mental health, which can be tough, especially in that first semester away from home.
#11 Put Yourself Out There
Building professional relationships with professors and peers in college is another key tip for college freshmen to make the most of their first semester and beyond. College is essentially a massive opportunity to network and make connections. Take advantage of learning and connecting with diverse groups of people and knowledgeable professors on campus.
Make an effort to put yourself out there and get to know your college professors and your peers. You never know what new things you might learn, what future career opportunities could come from them, and how connecting with these new people can help you grow.
Attend office hours, engage in class discussions, and seek mentorship from faculty members. While it might be a bit uncomfortable to put yourself out there and get to know new people at first, networking can take you far and open lots of doors for your future.
Also, try to participate in campus events, join professional organizations, and leverage platforms like LinkedIn to connect with industry professionals even from the first semester. Ask for ideas regarding internships, clubs, or campus opportunities to help build your resume.
#12 Go Into Your Classes With an Open Mind
Another one of the best tips for college freshman to remember their first semester is to go into your classes with an open mind. I hate to break it to you, but usually, your first couple of semesters aren’t the most fun when it comes to classes.
You’ll have lots of prerequisites and introductory classes that don’t usually entail all the fun hands-on stuff that comes with your major. Try to go into these classes with an open mind and give them a chance.
There are still tons of things you will be able to take away from these prerequisite classes. Know that the fun stuff related to your major usually comes down the line once you’ve fulfilled your introductory-level requirements.
#13 Remember, It’s Okay to Change Your Major
An easy thing to think when you go to college is that whatever major you choose, you’re stuck with. But college is not like that. You’re not locked in. Even if you had your heart set on one major, it’s okay to change your mind.
I changed my mind and changed my mind again when I first got to college. I ended up changing my major twice. You’re not defined by your major and you’re allowed to choose a different career path.
While you should know those introductory classes aren’t the most interesting, you’ll still get a decent idea of what kind of work you might be doing down the line and what a typical day would look like for someone with your future degree. It’s okay to think about those things and decide that’s not for you.
Even if you had your heart set on going to college for one particular profession, you don’t need to stick with it.
Change your mind and change your mind again. Learn about other majors and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can switch majors after your first semester if you don’t see your original career path choice being a good fit down the line.
#14 Don’t Blow Off Syllabus Week
That first week of classes in college, most of us refer to as syllabus week. It’s when the professor goes over all your assignments, coursework, expectations, etc.
Even though it’s tempting to tune your professors out during these first couple classes, try to stay engaged. Your syllabus typically has your entire course schedule layed out. It’ll include important due dates and deadlines. Try not to shove it in the back of your binder or the bottom of your backpack and just forget about it.
Use syllabus week as a way to plan your schedule and write down your assignments. Make sure to highlight and write important due dates in your planner.
Sometimes, professors won’t even give reminders before assignments are due and won’t tell you when to start working on projects. Those due dates can creep up on you fast if you don’t pay attention to the syllabus and plan. If you haven’t written in reminders or kept your syllabus handy, you may totally miss important due dates without any warning.
#15 Wait to Buy Your College Textbooks
If you don’t want to waste money, this is one of the best tips for college freshmen that’ll save you a ton. Don’t buy your textbooks before classes start. I made this mistake my first semester at college and I ended up not using half of the textbooks I purchased.
Wait to see what your syllabus looks like, what texts are required and what textboooks are optional. You’ll also want to figure out how often you’ll need them and what you’ll need them for.
There is a ton of reading material in college, but frankly, no one has all the time to do it. Get the textbooks that are absolutely required and those you’ll need to complete quizzes, tests, and assignments.
If I only needed a textbook for a few assignments, it’s not worth buying it most of the time. You can usually just go to the library and they’ll have most major required textbooks on reserve for you to use when you need them, which can save you a ton of money.
Also, when you do purchase them, don’t get them brand new. You can easily rent them off Amazon for half the price. That way, you won’t be stuck with a bunch of textbooks you’ll probably never open again at the end of the semester.
Overall, preparing for college life can be stressful. But when you keep some of these best tips for college freshmen in mind, your first semester will be much easier to handle. Remember to keep an open mind, have fun, and make the most of it. That first semester of college can be tricky, but you’ll get through it!
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