10 Tips on Surviving Freshman Year

1. Orientation activities are a must.your work off. Like skipping classes, procrastinating on
Even though they might make you feel awkward,your homework has toxic consequences for your
even though there might seem to be 500 of them, yougrades.
should go to as many orientations as you possibly can.5. Learn time management skills.
Remember, most of the other people attending themYou might not believe it at first, but going to all of your
feel just as awkward. Lean over to one of them andclasses and doing all of your homework does not
ask: "Haven't we already been to 500 of theseequal having no free time. Once you get your course
things?" You might make a friend for life, or at least forschedule, you should look at where you have blocks
dinner. In addition to the opportunity to begin meetingof free time. You should dedicate some of those to
your classmates, orientation activities also providestudying intently, so that you have time for other things.
useful information about the school, its campus, itsDon't spend freshman year with something always
activities, and its policies.hanging over your head. It's a bad precedent to start.
2. Meet as many people as you can.6. Get involved in extracurricular activities.
Beginning with your new roommate, take the time toWith your time management skills, you should be able
get to know the people around you. Although someto handle at least one activity outside of classes that
students show up to college with friends from theirexcites you.
high school, for most people, this is not the case.7. Make sure you eat.
You're all in the same boat. Take that boat to dinnerAnd make sure you eat right. Cap'n Crunch is delicious,
together, to campus social events, etc. Making friendsagreed, but it is not a breakfast, lunch, and dinner
with those around you will help ease you into theoption. Eat a vegetable occasionally, and try not to get
atmosphere of college.too addicted to caffeine.
3. Go to all of your classes.8. Make sure you sleep.
After 500 plus orientation activities, the start of classesWhich you'll be able to do, if you don't become a
might seem like a brutal slap in the face. Or maybeStarbucks junkie, which you won't have to, because of
you'll realize that nobody is going to give you detentionyour time management skills.
if you skip, so you start skipping. Whatever reasons9. Get some exercise.
you have for cutting class, they're bad. Learning isEven if it's just going for a walk. The fresh air is good
really what college is for. Don't deprive yourself of it.for your mind and body.
4. Do your homework when it's assigned.10. Make time to have pure, unadulterated fun even
Again, the freedom of college can be intoxicating, butafter the start of classes.
don't become so infused with it that you begin blowing