Advice to College Freshmen
It's that time of year again..
Yes, I'm talking back to school.
You either hate it or love it.
All I'm excited for is to shop for new school supplies...
I am starting my fourth year of college and I figured with a couple of years of experience, I could pass down some knowledge I've learned throughout my time here.
Also, if you're interested in a college series just let me know through here or my tumblr!
Most of you seem to prefer to contact me through tumblr since I have the anonymous option.
By the way, the picture above was my daily view from my dorm my freshmen year.
1. Do not buy your books before class starts
- I can not stress this enough. Unless your professor specifically emails your class to have your book for the first day, please wait. Many times you will not need a textbook and I have seen many people spend their money on books they never opened. If you're entering college, chances are that you'll mostly be taking general education classes. At my university, those are some of the biggest classes and usually the professor is lenient about no textbooks or he/she will allow you to use older versions which are usually cheaper. Also, do not buy textbooks from your university bookstore. Yes, you get them instantly, but they are so expensive! I have never had a professor not be understanding that I was waiting for my book to come in. My absolute favorite website to order books from is bigwords.com I love that they compare prices to a million websites so you know you're getting the best deal. Lastly, rent textbooks whenever you have the chance. It is so much cheaper! I only recommend buying books if you know you will use it for your professional career.
2. Keep every syllabus you get
- The first day of your classes is usually known as "syllabus day" (unless you have a professor that actually starts teaching on the first day, don't be surprised). I refer to a professor's syllabus throughout the semester. It usually has all of your professor's contact information and office hours. It also has important dates like exams, no class, or final. Plus if you waste your professor's time asking them something that could be found in the syllabus, chances are that you may not get the friendliest response. Don't be that person. I like to store my syllabus in a protective sheet. I usually just have one binder for all my classes. All I do is separate my classes by tabs and the syllabus is the first thing you see in every section.
3. Check your schedule the night before
- Fun fact, the first day of college for me I sat in the wrong biology class. Apparently they had moved the location of my class to another building. I ended up having to awkwardly walk out in the middle of class and then I missed my first biology class entirely. Luckily, the professor posted the syllabus online. Some classes will change and shift around right before the semester begins so just double check your schedule the night before, it will save you from any surprises.
4. Give yourself plenty of time in between classes your first few days
- If you're university is anything like the size of mine, it's a pretty huge campus. Especially your first year, since it's unknown "territory" it seems bigger than it really is. I remember thinking how far my dorm is to the bookstore, now it seems like a short walk. As you familiarize yourself with campus, you'll begin to develop what the best paths are to take for wherever it is you're trying to get to. Your first few days, I strongly urge you to go to your class earlier than you normally would. Plus it's better to be there early to claim a good seat! You just want to avoid the stress of being lost and not being able to find your class and then having to walk in late. I will also warn you, if you're commuting to school, usually traffic is crazy in the beginning of the semester. Also, finding a parking spot can be a challenge, so be an early bird and avoid the stress of aimlessly driving around and waiting for someone to pull out.
5. Check the weather
- I carry my umbrella at all times. It is an absolute must because I'll be honest, sometimes I forget to check the weather in the morning so if it unexpectedly starts to rain, I'm not completely caught by surprise. But because I know how my campus is, if it is suppose to rain heavily I like to wear my rain boots to school. It's more of a necessity actually because many parts of my school easily flood during a storm and let me tell you, it is no fun to walk around with shoes and socks soaking wet. You just want to make sure you're dressed for the weather. Even though it's ridiculously hot right now, many of your classes will be freezing cold so it doesn't hurt to pack a sweater! I always keep one in my studio.
6. Pack snacks and bring a water bottle
- You may have a really nice schedule where you're only on campus a couple of hours or certain days of the week, but you may also be stuck with a schedule where it feels like you're on campus all day. If you're dorming on campus, you probably have a meal plan so it's fairly easy for you to eat at school. If you don't, spending money on food on campus can get expensive fast. I like to bring snacks with me from home to eat throughout the day. I'm on campus for long periods of time and I like to have food that will satisfy me and not mess up my diet. The freshmen 15 is a very real thing, beware. I also always cary my water bottle to keep me hydrated throughout my day. Luckily, I have my own studio space at school and that is where I am practically 24/7 so we have mini fridges and microwaves. That way I can just keep my food at school since all my classes at this point are at the same location. But, if you don't have that opportunity, pack some snacks and keep it in your school bag! Most professors are cool with you eating in class just avoid something smelly or loud. You also don't want to feast in class. I've seen people bring McDonald's meals to class and get called out on it.
I sincerely wish you all the best of luck for this new school year! If you think high school flew by, college goes by even faster so enjoy it as much as you can. Of course it can get insanely stressful, but it's also a lot of fun! You'll grow a lot these next years, allow room for change.
Inbox me any questions you may have! I'll be doing a post about the pros and cons of living on campus and commuting.
Enjoy the rest of your summer and remember,
you are enough.
-m
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