After going through the final year at school is surely stressful. Selecting a university was probably not a piece of cake as well. And after all those challenges, you might think that nothing can put you down anymore. Such a misjudgment, however, is quite a common trap for a great number of freshman students. A college or university is a completely new environment compared to school not only because of the deeper knowledge provided but also because of a new pretty cool but extremely serious feature, which is independence. While it is often seen as a good thing overall, it can become a weight to drag you down if not approached properly.
Getting into the Jam
Potentially being an overwhelmingly large weight by no means makes independence a bad thing. Or a thing to be particularly cautious with. You don’t have to put on slippers, grab a newspaper, and start filling in those electricity bills to become an adult. That’s something to do after college, perhaps. Yet, some precautions are to be taken, nevertheless. Moving on to campus means living separately from your parents. And that means that whenever you’re feeling hungry, you must cook something or order food. Whenever you’re feeling sick, you must see a doctor on your own and buy some medication to make you feel better. So, first and foremost, independence means full responsibility.
The second thing you must learn about independence is that you have to make a choice on your own and that will be only your choice only for you. You might choose to sit there all night to complete your essay, or you might ask TopWritersReview to do that for you while you’re partying with friends. You will get judged in either case, so there’s no point in eating yourself after making a choice. The life of a freshman draws down to remembering some following things and keeping them in mind to stay fit mentally and physically.
1. Leaving the choice of a major for later
It’s cool if you know what you want to do with your life after college or feel like you do. Yet, for most freshmen out there this is a rather puzzling question. Still, there’s no better way to know what you really love doing than to just try it. Or at least listen to it for some time. Selecting a major is not obligatory in most colleges, so you might want to visit different lectures and seminars to see what you like the most. Who knows, maybe you have a very strong managerial potential, even though your parents think it’s worth being an accountant.
2. Keep track of your budget
Again, no need to take your financial management too seriously and dive deep into electricity bills. Yet, you have to make sure that you always have enough cash to buy some food, pay for housing (if you have to), and attend to other basic needs you might have. There’s even no need in getting a notebook and a pen, such things are handled by highly effective free apps out there.
3. Work on your soft skills
Studying and academic progress are important, but those skills are perishable one way or another. Business and economic practices change, as do science, healthcare, and many other disciplines. Yet, communication with others, listening, and time management always remain essentially the same. No matter where you go, those skills will always be important, so not overlooking them while you’re still young is essential.
4. Research majors at your college
Yes, it’s already been said that choosing a major can be postponed. But you can’t do that forever, right? Looking through what you might get interested in will certainly not slow things down for you, so it’s a good thing to do in your first year.
5. Try finding new friends
Preferably, the ones from sophomore year. While it’s useful to team up with freshmen like you, friendship with those in the second year is much more practical. Such people are not far enough in their progress to not be interested in you but are still experienced enough to show you around.
6. Pack the right amount with you
When packing for college, things might get too stressful too quickly. You might want to get your wardrobe in its entirety to show off how stylish you are. Or you may want to get your desktop PC with you to play all your favorite video games. Yet, don’t forget that a campus dormitory will likely not fit any of that, so pack less to get more from your freshman year in college.
7. Acquire healthy habits
Only you are responsible for yourself, and that includes your health. Don’t rely on instant noodles too often, get out for a jog from time to time, and most certainly don’t party too much. All of that will definitely make you feel good enough to stay focused and go through your first year successfully.
8. Try getting a job
To fully learn to be an adult, you have to take responsibility for your income as well. On top of that, you’ll learn to take responsibility for your actions as they might often affect others. So, no matter whether you’re going to make a fortune on your first job or not, it’s still a 2-in-1 choice for a freshman.
9. Save on learning materials
Again, hard skills you can learn from textbooks in college are perishable one way or another. So, there’s no point in paying $50-100 to get that book all for yourself. Find online resources that are free. Rent it at the library, physical or virtual. Alternatively, you can even find some earlier editions of your textbooks in public access for free.
10. Never forget to show up
Obtaining a reputation as a good student cannot be bad at all, especially in college. Show up to the lectures and seminars, don’t forget to ask questions, and think about getting into reasonable discussions with professors. Showing that you have something to say or at least ask tells a lot about a strong personality everybody wants to hang around with.
Staying Alive
The first year in college can be really tough. If it’s not for homework, it’s about attendance. If not about that, then there’s always something else. The biggest challenge during the freshman year is to adapt to the new environment, stay focused on it, and get useful contacts around the campus. If you manage to pull out this challenge, life in college will become much easier for you, not only in the first year but throughout the entire college.
BIO
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