Surviving the First Year of College

            What is perhaps the number one worrying thing on every high school graduate’s mind is how to approach and survive their first year of college. No doubt the idea of starting school at a higher educational institute is probably scarier than most other ideas that can go through a young person’s mind. And from this fear can stem a whole stream of questions about what all they should do in order to successfully continue their academic career. Some students choose to attend colleges simply in the neighboring town, close to their own in which they grew up, while others choose to go to school halfway across the world. Either way, entering one’s freshman year of college can be intimidating for just about any student and therefore they tend to ask for advice from people who have gone through the experience.

            There are numerous people who can give you advice on how to approach college maturely and with confidence. Guidance counselors, parents and guardians, and high school teachers (just to name a few) can provide you with tips on the college experience, all leading to a successful start of the college experience. Some tips which they might give you include:

1.)   Consult your academic advisor for a list of classes to take in order to graduate with your major.

2.)   If you haven’t declared a major, talk with your family and friends about your interests and see how they can tie into what kind of career you would like to pursue.

3.)   Get out once in a while and have some fun! Socialize with your classmates and fellow students around campus by participating in any fun activities around there.

4.)   If you fall behind in classwork, talk with your teachers about how you can improve your grades and overall GPA.

5.)   Eat healthy and balanced meals during the day. An important factor in keeping your mind active is maintaining a good diet. Sometimes the food in the cafeteria is not the smartest choice, and therefore you must decide how to get some good food in your system.

6.)   Get out and exercise regularly. Not only can this help your body stay active but it can help refresh your mind so you can be more prepared for homework and studying.

7.)   Organize your time wisely. This way you can keep track of your classes and make time for homework and fun in your free time. This can also prevent you from getting stressed out due to lack of available time to do everything on your agenda.

Jackie writes for ParentsandColleges.com.