My top 3 tips to survive your first semester of college

Going to college is often a large stepping stone for most people, a right of passage. Here’s how I survived this big change.

1. Be organized
   • Being organized can prevent so many problems. There are so many forms and papers and requirements that are due at certain times and it can be overwhelming. Staying organized can help sort your brain and help you to turn things in on time. Writing down assignments and their due dates in a planner and color coding your school supplies can help you stay organized. When I’m feeling especially overwhelmed with homework, I will make a list of everything I have to do and order them in increasing importance. Writing down what day things are due can also help you determine what needs to be done first. I would say keeping track of due dates is the most important thing to do in college. Not having class everyday, it’s easy to forget to do an assignment because it’s never due the next day especially if you have a class once a week.
2. Stay active
   • You might think this isn’t that important, but it really is. Staying active in college helps prevent the “freshman 15” (never happened to me), but it is also important to stay healthy. I would say however active you were in high school, try to stay that active or more active in college. I have always kept a workout schedule and it was really important to me to keep that in college. I like to do cardio, weight-train, yoga, zumba, etc. and college is a great place for all of these activities! I also got a yoga mat because sometimes I don’t feel like walking to the gym. On these days, I use the Nike Train app and do an at home workout. It’s very easy to find time to stay active in college as long as you try!
3. Reach out
   • Reaching out to others is something that I personally struggle with however, I forced myself to reach out to people in college and it has definitely paid off! I have made so many friends in college because of me or the other person reaching out. Other freshman are especially understanding if starting a conversation for you is hard because we’re all in the same boat! I recommend getting involved in clubs / music / theater etc. so that you can be surrounded by people like you in a smaller setting. It’s hard to make connections with people in classes because you’re there to learn and not socialize. However, in other situations you are allowed to talk freely, where it is much easier to make connections. I also highly recommend getting to know the people that you live with (if you dorm). My closest friends are my roomate and other people that live on my floor.
   • Another important thing is reaching out in a different way. If you are really struggling, there are lots of resources on campus to help you if you need it!

Thanks for reading!