Advice for College Freshmen

Hello recent high school graduate. I was once you, a long time ago. Now I am a recent college graduate. Trust me, you really are walking into a whole new world. Yeah, I know you have been bombarded with that information, get over it. I am here to give you the advice that I didn't have as a college freshman.

Don't over pack.

A mistake I saw every year I was in college was that freshmen bring way too much stuff. You really don't need a lot. All you are doing is giving yourself more work moving in, more work keeping your dorm room clean, and more work when the time comes to move out!

Do a dry-run of your classes.

No one likes to see a lost freshman with their nose in a map. Its ok to feel lost and overwhelmed on your first day of class. One way to prevent a lot of stress is to walk to all of your classes the day before they start. This way you know where everything is, and you don't have to worry about those pesky confusing maps. You especially don't want to have to ask an upperclassman where things are, they are just as likely to give you wrong directions as a joke, as they are too be actually helpful.

Dealing with a roommate

Yes... you are going to have a strange roommate. But look at it this way, your roommate thinks the same thing about you. Just relax, and treat your roomie with respect. If you roommate doesn't return your respect, then take heart in this...a lot of freshmen drop out after one semester, so you only have to stick it out for a few months before a new room is available and you can get out of there!

On the subject of grades

Don't turn into a bundle of nerves over grades, you are more likely to hurt yourself that way. You really don't want to have to take a semester off because of stress. Yeah, a 4.0 gpa sounds nice and all, but unless you are aiming for grad school, it isn't really worth the brain tumor. I am in no way advocating slacking off, just don't sweat it too much. There are worse things in this word than a GASP! C! Put the books down every once in a while, take a deep breath, and just veg if you need to, or get out of your dorm a enjoy life for once!

Professors

Teachers may have liked the kid who sat in front of the class and raised their hand all the time and challenged things...most professors are the same way, but some...not so much. Always take the advice of fellow students when choosing professors and classes. Ratemyprofessors.com is a great resource if you use it right. Just learn to read the professor you have, some are great, some will make you want to claw your brain out.

Relax and breathe, getting accepted into college is more than half the battle, it took you 18 years to make it this far, and college is only 4-7 years (yes...people are there for 7 years...triple majors..YIKES!). They always say that these are the best years of your life, but honestly, they are what you make of them. Stay positive and surround yourself with supportive people, and you will conquer the beast that is college! Good luck!