Surviving Your First Day of College

No matter how cool and collected you normally are, your first day of classes as a full-time college student is probably something you're very nervous about. You're probably living in a dorm so there's no Mom and Dad to wake you up in the morning and no bells to signal the start of your next class. You're on your own. If you aren't prepared, your first day of college can be a very stressful experience (I know mine was). Here's a few tips to make that first day just a bit easier on your nerves:

Prepare in Advance

Make sure you've got things in order before that first day. That means make sure you've signed up for all of the classes you wish to take and your schedule is free of conflicts, sign up for a meal plan in advance or at least make sure to stock up on food in the dorm, buy your books, and if you're going to be living off-campus arrange transportation to your classes ahead of time. Waiting until the night before or, even worse, the day your classes begin to take care of these issues just leaves even more on your mind than there is already.

Get a Good Night's Sleep

It's hard enough staying awake though classes after being free all summer as it is; the last thing you want is to oversleep on your first day of classes. Most college professors hand out course outlines and give very important information on the first day. You certainly do not want to miss this so make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before to ensure you wake up on time. Be sure to set some sort of alarm even if you normally don't have trouble waking up early on your own.

Learn Your Way Around

One of the most frustrating parts of your first day of college is trying to find your way around. Avoid this frustration by taking the time to familiarize yourself with the campus before the day your classes actually begin. Print your class schedule and locate the classes so you don't struggle to find them on time on your first day. Find out the location of other places you're likely to stop such as the cafeteria, library, or financial office. Make absolutely sure you don't forget to bring a copy of your schedule with you on the day classes begin.

Keep a Little Cash on You

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting you walk around a college campus with hundreds of dollars in your pocket (In fact, I highly discourage it for obvious reasons) but it's a idea to carry a few bucks with you on your first day. This will come in handy to buy something to drink, food if you haven't yet got your meal plan in order, last minute supplies should you happen to forget something, or cover bus fare if you live off-campus and don't own a vehicle.

Dress comfortably

If you're like most people, if you dress uncomfortably you feel uncomfortable. Not to mention if your campus is fairly large, you'll be doing a lot of walking (or maybe running) to get to your classes. So be sure to dress comfortably, it'll make the day that much easier.

Follow these steps and you're sure to survive your first day.