5 Tips to Survive Your First Day of College
How do you know that your summer is coming to an end? When all the stores are fully stocked with back to school supplies. Starting college can be both an exciting and stressful time, but don’t worry because you’re not in it alone. We are here to suggest some key tips to help make your first, big day a little less stressful!
- Early bird gets the worm (or in this case, a parking spot): So, you take the freeway exit to pull into your campus and what do you see? A long line of cars backed up leading to the campus entrance. Traffic is inevitable, but you can avoid added stress by leaving your house earlier than usual. Once you’re on campus, park in the structure or parking lot closest to the majority of your classes. This will help you avoid walking long distances to your classes as well as being late.
- Become a social butterfly: For some of us, it’s easy to turn to the person next to us and start a casual conversation. For others, they’ll do anything to avoid a conversation. In college, you have to encourage yourself to speak up for your own benefit. I cannot stress the importance of making at least one friend in each one of your classes and exchanging contact information. These friends will become your lifesavers when you need help on an assignment or forget to note down an important deadline.
- Note down everything: It’s easy to think that you’re going to remember every bit of important information your professor is telling you. Realistically, you’re taking 4-5 classes and all the information you receive can be overwhelming which is why it’s crucial to keep a planner and make notes of everything even if you think you’re going to remember.
- Explore your campus: If you have time in between your classes, use that time as an opportunity to familiarize yourself with important buildings around your campus such as the library, the financial aid office, admissions office, etc. The more time you spend “getting lost” around campus, the more it’ll benefit you when you need to visit one of those buildings.
- Take a deep breath: Yes, the campus is big. Yes, you’re taking a lot of classes. Yes, you’re overwhelmed and having a hard time prioritizing. All these things are normal and once again, every single person on campus feels the exact same way. Getting used to your new campus will take time, but until then, don’t stress yourself out and just relax.
Author: Jasmeet Gosal @jasmeetgosal
