Surviving the Freshman First Semester of College

The first day of classes of your freshman year at college is a daunting one. You have been handed a syllabus from every class, containing what reports, collateral reading, and exams will be required by the end of the semester. You probably know very few people on the campus, and you are still learning your way around. By the end of the day, many freshmen sit down and wonder how they will ever make it through one semester, much less enough time to graduate with a degree. However, it is not only possible to survive the first day, the first week, the first year, but you can survive and thrive as well.

Even for the brightest student, having a stack of syllabi in your hands can be a frightening, nerve-wracking thing. You have class after class requiring not only that the textbook be read, but hundreds of pages of collateral reading be read and documented, along with several papers and reports, each required to be many pages in length. And do not forget exams! You will have exams, mid-terms, and the most dreaded word of all - finals. Just seeing it typed out is pretty scary, even for someone who has "been there, done that." For a freshman, fresh out of high school, it produces a churning sensation in the stomach, a sense of being incapable to ever finish, and a response similar to "There is absolutely no way in this world one person could ever..." You can however. If things get desperate, and you still can not convince yourself, seek out a professor or guidance counselor, and see if they have time to listen. Explain your frustrations, and listen to their advice. They are there to help you. Use that resource.

The first thing to remember when your knees are knocking in disbelief at the work load, is that the semester is several months in length. The requirements listed in the syllabus are due over those several months, not next week. When it seems overwhelming, run that thought through your mind. It is not due today, or tomorrow. If you pace yourself throughout the semester, you should have no problem finishing and turning in every thing due. Pace yourself. That is the key phrase. Find an organization system that works for you.

No friends? Perhaps one of the scariest parts of going anywhere new, whether a new job, new school, or new neighborhood, is the fact that you know very few, if any, people there. You might be tempted to find a secluded table in a back corner in the cafeteria or library, but the best way to make new friends is to find someone else to sit with. You are certain to find something in common, if it is just your classes or workload. See if you can pick out other freshmen who also might be lacking in companionship. If you stay in the dorms, you probably have at least a few acquaintances already, who can then introduce you to more. Within a few weeks, you should have several people to share daily gossip, sports talk, or professor complaints with. You should also have learned your way around rather well. Get lost? Just ask someone. Most students remember their first semester, and are more than willing to help point you in the right direction.

You can make it through the first semester, and you can survive those first few weeks. Young children do not learn to walk overnight, but they do learn. Within a few weeks, you will be like an old pro at traveling the hallways, taking notes, and getting those reports in on time. Take the first few days slow. When things get overwhelming, take a deep breath, and count it as a learning experience. You will survive, and with determination and perseverance, you will thrive in college life.