It's around this time of year that high school seniors start to worry about college. As a student in my third year of college, I can tell you that college is definitely a great adventure. You have more freedom than you've ever had before. You'll be meeting new people, making new friends, and stepping out of your comfort zone to do different things. Sounds great doesn't it? Well for the most part it is, but there are some things you should probably be aware of when you start your freshman year.
1. A lot of your classes will offer PowerPoint presentations and lecture notes online. This makes the idea of skipping classes very tempting. "Oh I can just skip this today, I'll find the notes online later." DON'T DO THIS. Trust me it's a bad idea. You always end up with a better grade when you participate in class.
2. Start making connections now! This is the beginning of the rest of your life, building bridges in college can help you further your career later on in life. Not to mention having good friends will make your college years extremely memorable.
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| My Drivers License Is Even Worse |
3. Keep your college ID handy, as ugly as it might be (look at mine and laugh real quick!). Your ID card can get you student discounts EVERYWHERE! The movie theater, Apple, Verizon, State Farm, just to name a few places that you can get student discounts at.
4. The freshman 15 is a real thing! The "all you can eat buffets," can add on really quickly though. So instead, try to eat healthy and add some kind of fitness routine to your schedule. Not only will this keep you looking good, but you'll find that with just 30 minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week, you'll be more focused mentally.
5. Take advantage of every college facility. At the beginning of each semester/quarter, you pay a student services fee. Use the library, gym, computer lab, health office, you're paying for it regardless! So might as well get your moneys worth.
6. Budget! Budget! Budget! This is one of the things I have done horribly, hopefully you guys can do it better. College is expensive, and so are books. Start finding ways to save as much as you can. A lot of books can be rented or borrowed from the library. Hell, most books you need can also be found in PDF files online. (Not that I condone piracy or stealing...)
7. Another big thing is, time management. You have more free time than ever before, so you would think, "Yeah I have the whole week, I'll study on Thursday." That's a bad idea, DON'T PROCRASTINATE! Set up a routine and set aside a portion every day that you can dedicate fully to homework and studying. Remember, this isn't high school, your grades really count for something when you're in college. Plus, the money is coming out of YOUR pocket, so don't let that go to waste. If you mess up too much, you can get stuck, so keep on track with school work!
8. Confused about how things work? Don't know what you want to major in? Don't stress over it, no matter what you pick, you always have the option to change your major later. As a college freshman, you should take this time to explore your options. Take classes in different areas of interest. Take time to find something worth your time. You'll change your mind a million times before you find the one. And that's perfectly okay. Never feel rushed, because you should find something you enjoy!
9. If you're gonna be sexually active, then for God's sake please use some kind of contraception and BE CAREFUL.
There! Just buy some now so you don't forget them later. You probably don't want a baby to pop out before you get your degree, or maybe you do. If that's the case then disregard this point...
10. Most importantly, take time to relax and have fun! Obviously, you're going to college for a reason, but that doesn't mean that you can't take out a couple of hours a day to go out with your friends or browse the web and read a couple blog posts. Keep your morale up and it'll make your college experience a hundred times better!
-Syed Mahmood
Edited by - Medina Kabir
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