You finally make it to the top of the food chain in high school, only to get dropped back to the bottom as a college freshman. This won’t be the last time you’ll go through this transition, either. It’ll happen again once you graduate, and throughout your life as you change jobs and career paths. The trick to college freshman year is learning how to quickly adapt to these changes and find your foothold in the whirlwind of change. Having already been freshman in college, here are a few tips we can offer you:
1. Start With A Clean Slate
You’re no longer a nerd, a jock, or anything in between. Your reputation isn’t going to follow you freshman year in college. For better or worse, you have a fresh start. Grab the opportunity to reinvent your character, by being the best possible version of yourself. Make good choices, make quality friends, and be the kind of person you’d admire.
2. Understand That You’re Not Alone
As a college freshman, it’s easy to forget that you’re surrounded by people in your exact situation. It’s easy to feel like everyone around you is falling perfectly into place while you’re still trying to figure out what’s going on. The fact of the matter is that all freshman in college are in the same boat. Everyone is at least a little nervous about living on their own, finding classes, making new friends, etc. Take solace in that fact and just relax.
3. Go Out Of Your Way To Meet People
The first rule of thumb is to get to know other college freshman on your floor, especially the people right around you. Keep your door open, say “hi” to people walking by, and introduce yourself. You wouldn’t think badly of someone introducing themselves to you, and they won’t think badly of you doing the same. College in general, and specifically college freshman year, is one of the easiest times in your life to make friends. Think about it… you’re surrounded by other college freshman your age, most of whom don’t know one another. Take advantage of this fact.
4. Deal With Being Homesick Positively
We had friends that got homesick at times being freshman at college, and we couldn’t blame them. A healthy way to fight this feeling is to find your niche on campus. Join clubs, make friends, and immerse yourself in campus life. Essentially, turn the campus into your home away from home. Don’t go home every weekend, or talk on the phone with your parents all night. Allow yourself to create a new life on campus freshman year of college. We’re not saying to forget about your parents or old friends, just allow yourself to get acclimated to college life.
5. Learn To Deal With New Pressures
It’s no secret that you’re going to deal with new levels of pressure as a college freshman. For some of you, fitting in with a new crowd may be your biggest pressure trigger. For others, it may be the GPA you have to maintain to keep your scholarship or get into grad school. Find healthy ways to deal with these new pressures. Everyone is different, and what might work for one person, may not work for another… so experiment. Exercise, listen to music, get your homework done early, etc. Find what works for you and stick with it.
6. Embrace The Culture Of Your Campus
Every college campus has a different culture… a distinct set of values, traditions, and rituals that make it unique. This is your new home, so embrace it. Some of the best times you’ll have as a freshman in college will be the direct result of these cultural nuances. If you go to a big sports school, go to the games and tailgate beforehand. If the students on your campus take a big spring break trip every year, go on it and be active while you’re there. Take pride in, and appreciate all the unique experiences your school has to offer your freshman year of college.
7. Seek Out The Right Major
Picking a major is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a college freshman, as it will directly affect your professional career. For that reason alone, your decision should be made carefully and methodically. Your faculty advisers, career resource advisers, and professors are great resources you have at your disposal during your experience in college. Even if you knew you wanted to be a lawyer since second grade, it’s still important to utilize professionals to fine tune your academic/career path.
8. Take Care Of Yourself
Exercise, eat right, visit the doctor when you’re sick, and get a good night sleep. Your parents aren’t there to make sure you’re doing all these things freshman year in college. For the first time in your life, you’re on your own to take care of yourself, so be deliberate about developing healthy habits. Don’t let yourself slip, or pick up any bad habits. You need a healthy body to have a productive mind.
9. Focus On Your Grades
Put in the effort to get the best grades you are capable of. We knew freshman in college who failed out immediately, and others who put themselves in a GPA hole from which they were unable to recover by graduation. As a college freshman, don’t get too caught up in college parties, bars, and extracurricular activities. That’s all secondary to why you’re there in the first place. Remember… the beer tastes better when your work is done.
10. Don’t Forget To Have Fun
College has a reputation of being one of the best times in a person’s life, mainly because it is. When all is said and done, your degree is only a fraction of what you’ll end up taking away from these four years. The experiences you have outside of the classroom are just as important as the work you do inside of the classroom. So enjoy being a college freshman… you’ll remember it the rest of your life.