Flying the nest and heading to college can be one of the most stressful periods of your young life. Being away from home will bring forth a lot of challenges. Yet, for every challenge there are also multiple opportunities.
You can make your first year at college an incredible experience that sets the tone for the rest of your scholastic career. The saying is you get out what you put in. That has never been more true when it comes to your college life.
You can achieve a great GPA while still enjoying yourself and making some connections for life if you keep a few things in mind.
Be active
This is a huge tip that is very important. You should be active and engaged to make the most of your experience.
Make sure you partake in all orientations that are available to you. You should also get involved in clubs and groups and even consider joining a fraternity or sorority.
If you love sports but weren’t good enough to make the cut on any of the college teams, you can always join an intramural pick up league. You can even have custom printed t-shirts made to make sure your team feels like the real deal.
Choose your activities carefully, though, as you don’t them to interfere with your studies.
Be a self starter
You won’t have your parents around or teachers to make sure you are getting the work done. This means the only one holding you accountable is yourself. You can join/make a study group with other like minded individuals to make it easier by having people help hold you accountable.
However. Don’t just rely on others for your own responsibilities. You need to hone your own accountability skills and create habits to help you succeed. There are plenty of organization and productivity apps on your computer or smartphone if you think it will help.
Eat right
This is the most overlooked aspect of your life when getting to college. Yes, you are responsible for feeding yourself. A common pitfall for many students is to eat lots of junk and fast food. If you fall for this trap, you not only risk the dreaded “freshman 15”, but you’re making it harder to study when you don’t eat well. The brain cannot function properly without good nutrition.
Eating a balanced diet will keep your mind sharp as junk food can make you sluggish which affects how you are able to study. Get plenty of fruit and veggies and keep pre-packaged and processed foods to a minimum.
Take advantage of advisors
Don’t forget that there are advisors to help you get through tough times. You may be second guessing your major, or trying to determine the best route towards an internship. No matter what the obstacle, there is always an advisor there to help you in your time of need.
Your advisor can help you in so many ways, so always keep that line of communication open. If you feel like you are having trouble connecting.
For more great college tips, check out the other blogs on College Basics.
