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How to Survive Your First Year of College
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So you're going to college. You've turned in your application, received your acceptance letter to your dream school, and have applied and been granted a spot in the residence halls at the institution. You've just graduated high school, and you have a little over two months before beginning a new part of your life at a new school. Here are a few tips to survive your first year at college:
1. Call your assigned roommate sometime during the summer. Get to know them a little bit, their personality, their likes and dislikes. If you live close to one another, possibly arrange a time to meet and spend a day together to get to know one another better. Find out what they plan to bring so the two of you don't get stuck figuring out where to put the televisions you each brought.
2. Dormitories ("dorms") are known as residence halls at some schools. Make sure you call them what they're supposed to be called because some schools look down on the word "dorm" because it can have a bad connotation. Look it up on the internet or talk to someone else who's lived on campus to make sure.
3. Dorm rooms are TINY, so make the most of your space by finding ways to optimize your storage system. Closets are perfect for storage. To add storage space underneath your bed, raise it using cinderblocks. If you have a loft style bed (bunk bed over a desk), use the space underneath the desk for storing things. Anywhere you can put something, put it.
4. Cardboard boxes are nice for moving, but trunks and storage tubs are worth the money. They don't require packing tape, they're relatively inexpensive, most come with handles, and they don't have the risk of tearing and spilling all of your things all over the ground. Another plus: they're reusable from year to year and storage tubs are stackable and can be stored in one area.
5. Don't bring too much stuff with you. If you can go home a few times throughout the semester, don't bring your entire bedroom with you to school. You may think you'll need it, when in reality you won't. Before you take it to school, ask yourself when you're going to use it. For example, if you know your dorm room already has a light, don't bring a floor lamp to light the room. If your room comes with a desk, don't bring your own, because you have to find somewhere to put the one provided. Minimizing is key.
6. There are things that you'll see others with and wonder: "Why didn't I think of that?" Here are a few common things that can come in handy throughout the year:
--A clip-on light for your bedpost so you can study/read in the dark without disturbing your sleeping roommate.
--If you're in a bunk bed, a pouch that hangs from your bedpost. You can store glasses/contact cases, remote controls, pencils/pens, or anything else that may come in handy while you're up in your bed.
--A small supply of nonperishable food. If you're lucky enough to be on a campus that has a dining hall, still have some sort of food with you. Sometimes things come up and you'll miss a meal, so it's better to have something on hand.
--Folding chairs. You know, those chairs that fold up into a 3-4 foot tall cylinder shape? Have one or two of those handy. They can be used as guest seating or lounge chairs for television watching or studying.
7. Make friends with the local bulk-food stores, office supply stores, fast food restaurants, and stores like Wal-Mart. Bulk food stores provide food at bargain prices, so when your food supply in your room runs dry, replenish it at one of these places. Office supply stores come in handy when your printer runs out of ink and you need a cartridge NOW. Know when the different fast food restaurants close so you know which ones to go to when you want to satisfy those late night cravings. Stores like Wal-Mart have everything you'll ever need at relatively decent prices.
8. If you're allowed to, post things on your door. A whiteboard is beneficial. People can leave notes for you that way, and it's a good way for people to get to know each other. Post a picture of yourself and your roommate so people can put faces to names. If your resident advisor hasn't done so, make nametags and put them on the door. Decorate half of the door your way, and let your roommate decorate their half the way they want. It shows that you are two different people, and lets the other residents get to know your unique styles each time they walk by.
9. Make a point to get to know the people in your hall. If that seems like too many, get to know the ones who live closest to you. Two doors on either side is a good rule. When you see them, greet them by their name. If they're free and you want to go to dinner, ask them to accompany you. It's a good way to make new friends, especially if you both haven't lived away from home before.
10. Call your parents at least once a week, preferably more right after you leave. You may feel that you're over whatever separation anxiety you may have had, but it doesn't mean that they aren't. They worry about you, and calling to check in shows that you care.
11. When scheduling classes, have a map of the campus handy. Place your classes close together so you're not sprinting across campus three days a week.
12. Participate. During the first few weeks of school, many organizations are holding activities on campus. Take a look at them and find some that you think you'll like.
13. Don't come to school with the ideas that fraternities and sororities are all about having parties and coming to class drunk. Most fraternal and sororal organizations are not social, meaning that they provide something beneficial to the school. If you've chosen a major already, look around the department to see what the organizations have done there.
14. Go to class. Get to know the teacher's teaching and testing style. Find out what's needed to get a decent grade in the class. Keep the syllabus that they hand out at the beginning of the year.
15. If you choose not to go to your classes, you're putting your grade at risk. But if you insist on missing classes to do other things, here are a few tips to keep your grade up:
--If attendance is mandatory, don't miss the class at all.
--If attendance is not mandatory or you're in a big lecture hall where attendance cannot be taken, attend class at least once a week.
--If you have a friend in the class, take turns going and trade notes with each other to keep up.
--Find out when tests and exams are so you don't miss them.
16. Don't do anything dumb that's against the law. You'll get in trouble, and possibly kicked out of the school.
College is all about having fun while going to school. Keep these tips in mind, and your first year will be one to enjoy.
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