Posted by Matthew Bila on
By: Emily Hause, Aviation Flight Science and Aviation Management and Operations student
College can be a really stressful time for many incoming freshman. It is the first time you actually are an “adult”. You can go to sleep whenever you want; no one is going to tell you to get your homework done, or worry about you eating healthy. It’s all on you. You can decide how you want to live your life and are completely in charge of your own success. So, to help you along the way, here are a few tips:
- Do not be afraid to go up and make friends with someone in your class! Your freshman year everyone is new and scared to be the “awkward” kid or to be embarrassed. Take the leap of faith and just go talk to someone. Maybe you will get a great friend out of it, or maybe just someone to study with. Either way, it’s a win. College is also very different from many high school experiences. For example, it is very common to spend time to yourself to either grab food or head over to Waldo Library to get some studying done.
- Have good study habits. I know studying sucks and it’s easy to put stuff off, but in college your teachers are not going to remind you when assignments are due. You are expected to be organized and ready. Everyone has their own methods to study. Some people are totally okay to study in their room for an hour or two, while others may need to go to a quiet place and spend some more time on certain classes. Find out how much time you need to spend on studying to succeed.
- Be involved in something!!! My freshman year I joined three different clubs and I met many of my friends through these clubs. It helps get you out of your room and meet people in a non-school environment. It is a great way to make friends, and looks great on a resume too. These clubs also provide many good connections and networking opportunities that may be helpful later down the road.
- Make sure to have good time management. It is important to find the balance between having fun and working on classwork. A great college student does not focus their time completely on school or on their friends. You need to learn how to be well rounded and balance these two. Throughout your four years in college there many other things that will start to come into your schedule and you will soon find yourself busier and busier. There are some students that forget to incorporate sleep into their schedule and don’t realize how important this can be. Getting a good rest will help you be more productive the next day without dragging along.
These are just a few tips to help you be prepared for your years in college. College is an important time to learn who you are and start to learn how to be independent.