How I Survived My First Semester of College

Many people say that college is a lot scarier than high school and that it is a lot different. For me, I feel as if that is really not the case. Finishing up my first ever semester, I found that college was quite similar to high school… you just had more freedom. With freedom, however, comes responsibility and I feel as if this where people struggle with their schoolwork. We are able to do what we want now and it can be challenging to balance our social lives with our studying. Here are 8 tips and tricks that I found along the way that helped me to survive my first semester of college:

1. Know when it is time for homework.

There is a time and a place for fun, and then there is a time and place for studying. Sometimes you can have both, but more often than not you are distracted and can’t focus on the workload in front of you. Sometimes it’s easier to make separate times and places for both of these things. When it comes to homework and studying, your best bet would be to either do it alone in a quiet space or with one to two others. Having more people to study with is a recipe for distraction and you’ll often have to bring your homework back to your dorm unfinished. Also utilize websites that help you study, such as quizlet.com. Prioritize your time and don’t feel like you’ll be missing out when you’re studying alone. You can watch the movie or go to karaoke night another time, it isn’t the end of the world.

2. Do your homework the day it is assigned.

College students often find themselves staying up until the late hours of the night to (start and) finish papers, math assignments, and projects the night before it’s due. This causes stress and poor sleeping schedules. I found that it was a lot easier for me to start my math assignments right after my math class or that night. It gave me time to finish it before the next time I had that class and I found that I wasn’t as stressed as I would be. Starting papers the day it is assigned also gives you time to do your needed research, write a very necessary outline, and start on a draft. It only takes about a day or two write papers, so utilizing this process is very important. Often times professors are willing to even read your drafts before the due date and proofread so that you can make the paper even better.

3. Professors are an important resource.

Your professors are an important resource- talk to them! If you ever have any questions about the course and its materials, a very useful guide would be your professor. They won’t get mad at you and will often appreciate that you wanted to know and understand more about the class. Building a relationship with your professor can also be useful for your academic and future careers; you can use them as references, ask them to write a letter of recommendation, and even join them on their research journeys.

4. Organization is key.

Being organized is an essential part of being successful in your college career. It can be challenging- I still struggle with this throughout the week. Making sure that you have a notebook and folder for each class and binders for your classes if that is necessary as well. Mixing these supplies can cause a disaster, especially if your major entails many papers and projects. Keeping your desk clear so that you can have a clean space to work in and it’s not overwhelming to be at. Have an agenda or planner to write down your schedule and important dates to remember, and if it’s needed, some little notes about the week, too.

5. Leave room for fun, too.

One thing that really helped me to look forward to each week was the many activities that my campus held. Each Friday night, my friends and I would go to the Student Center to eat dinner and watch karaoke night. It was a nice space to be able to relax and have fun after a busy week. Many schools also hold trivia nights, bingo nights, and other fun activities throughout the week to help anyone destress. Partying can be fun too, but try and limit the amount of times you go. Parties are usually held Thursday nights to Sunday nights which can be excessive and even dangerous. I am not a huge partier to begin with, so I stick with the fun activities and clubs found around my campus.

6. Self care is cool.

With a busy schedule, it is hard to find time to prioritize yourself and your self care. I try to leave a couple nights a week for some me-time; using face masks, painting my nails, reading a book, or watching Netflix are some ways I destress by myself. It’s important to do the things that help your physical and mental health, especially when your week was filled with writing papers and studying for exams. Eating healthy is also great- pizza and fries might seem like a good idea for every day, but throwing in a salad and some protein can’t hurt either. Make sure your diet is correct, and you’ll feel much better in the long run.

7. It’s okay to miss home.

Often times you’ll find yourself missing home. A lot. I ended up moving from Michigan to Ohio- nearly a six-hour drive- and it was tough. I missed my parents and my dogs. I missed seeing my friends all the time. It was a slightly tough transition, I have to admit. Though this was the case, I eventually got through it. I made a tight-knit group of friends and found activities that I loved to do and events that I enjoyed going to. This helped my homesickness tremendously because I knew I couldn’t go home every weekend. It was irrational and time-consuming to be going home all the time. It just isn’t healthy. Finding a fun group of friends to be around all the time helps you to transition from home life to school life, and it creates friendships that you’ll never want to leave

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8. It’s normal to have doubts.

As you progress throughout the semester, you’ll get into a habit of doubting your academic choices. Should this really be my major? What do I want to minor in? Am I ever going to get a job in the future? Maybe I should change everything… Am I going to travel abroad? When? Where? It’s easy to fall into these mid-term and pre-finals thoughts, but don’t let them deter you from your goals in life. It’s okay to not know 100% what you want to do with your life, you have all of your college years to figure that out. Just make sure that you’re doing your research and keeping up to date with the industry you want to go into, and other ones that might interest you. Just don’t panic; you’ll figure it out in the end.

I hope that these tips gave you some relief or ideas on how your first semester as a college student will go. It’s easy to stress and worry, but knowing how to cope and survive the school year through activities, friends, and time management can make everything seem not so bad. And for those of you who are finishing up their final week like I am….

Happy Finals Week!