Starting college or university as a first-year student allows you to have a fresh start and is a transition period where the decisions and actions impact your adulthood.
It won’t matter what you achieved in high school because everyone is starting on the same foot, and there are ways that you can make the most out of your first year in college. So, here are some tips on how to thrive as a first-year student.
1. Attend an orientation
It may seem overwhelming for some or even a waste of money, but orientation is an event that all first-year students should attend. It is an easy way to make new friends, especially if you’re not living in residence, you will learn things that will come in significance to you during the school year, and you can get used to the campus much faster.
2. Go to class
This one seems pretty obvious, but there will be many days when you decide to skip class; besides, you can always get lecture notes, right? You never know when the professor will give out test hints or extra credit for attendance. (Also, try to avoid signing up for 8 am classes no matter what, trust me).
3. Get involved on campus
Joining a club or organization can help you learn new skills and can be a way of getting over your blues whenever you feel homesick. You will feel more included, and it is another way of making new friends.
4. Stay Organized
Especially in the first year, when a lot is going on, it can be effortless to slip up. So make sure you know when assignments are due or when there is a big test coming up because, unlike high school, what is done is done, and it can be tough to get that extra credit or extended deadline.
5. Bring Flip Flops
Seriously. Although you may know everyone who lives on your floor, you never know what you will get yourself into. You may experience showers with lots of hairballs and dirt, and those aren’t even the worse things that you can find.
