Tips from Students on Making It Through the First Year

By Kate Gallop

Starting college is a huge adjustment. Here are some things my friends and I, all rising juniors, wish we’d known before our first year. Share these tips with your new college student!

1Manage Your Expectations

College is a hugely idealized time of life. Before move-in day, my expectations were loosely based on things my older friends and siblings said,

Instagram posts and movies: i.e., non-stop adventures with a fun group of friends.

When I didn’t have something happening every night, and didn’t always feel like myself, I assumed I was doing something wrong. I wish I’d known that I wasn’t. I wish I’d given myself the freedom to live in the moment without dwelling on pre-conceived notions of the “college experience.” It’s okay if you feel like you don’t relate to your peers instantly even when it seems like everyone else is. It takes time to adjust and make real friends.

2Make Time to Relax

At the beginning of my first semester, I was worried that if I took time to myself I’d miss out on something. There were definitely times when I should have said no to things but went anyway. I got sick the minute I arrived home for fall break and that’s when I realized I was burned out.

I started choosing to stay in when I felt tired instead of pushing myself to be involved 24/7. Whether it’s watching Netflix, reading a book or drawing, it’s important to check in with yourself and do the things that keep you relaxed. When I took a little time each week to be alone, I had more energy and the social events I attended became more enjoyable.

So remember, nothing is make or break. If you’re rundown, take a night off.

3Plan Out Your Time

Summer before freshman year, I worried that I wasn’t smart enough for college. This fear grew stronger as I sat through my first classes and leafed through syllabi, overwhelmed by the number of things I’d be responsible for throughout the semester.

Instead of panicking, I wrote down every assignment in a planner, noted the extra busy weeks, and attended all my classes. It turned out there was more than enough time to do everything I needed to. Good time management helped me stay on top of things and, slowly, college stopped feeling so drastically different from high school. I still took late nights to study for exams and finish papers, but I stopped believing I was out of place.

4Leave Some High School Attitudes at the Door

In high school, if a group of my friends got together without me, I’d take it personally. This changed completely in college. People tend to make plans based on who happens to be somewhere in the moment. You grab lunch with someone who has the same break between classes that you do, and go to dinner with residence hall floormates because you were already in the common room studying together. In high school, lunch is a major time to socialize. People look at you if you sit alone. This, too, changes in college. Everyone has different schedules, and oftentimes you won’t run into someone you know. It felt so freeing when I realized that no one notices or thinks anything less of someone sitting alone.

5Put Yourself Out There

While it’s perfectly normal to eat alone, it’s important to get to know people, and meals are a great way to do that. Some of the best advice I got before my first year is, when you meet someone you like talking to, ask for their number and make meal plans.

I knew no one at my college before move-in day. As nervous as I was, I made sure to introduce myself to the other people moving in on my floor, and I’m so happy I did — it’s the easiest ways to make your dorm start to feel like home.

When you can, spend time in the dorm common room instead of your room because it’s a good way to meet friends. And if you don’t click with anyone on your floor, don’t worry. Clubs and classes are another great way to find people you have something in common with.

Begin the year ready to meet a ton of new people and excited about what comes next. It takes time for things to fall into place, but once you find a new routine and people you connect with, you’ll never want to leave.