For most of the freshmen class, this is your first time being away from home. You’re most likely a few hundred miles away from home, and it can be scary. For some, the distance can be too much, and some transfer somewhere closer to home. However, there are ways to survive the large distance and to survive the first year on campus.
The most important rule is to stay busy. Katie Kern, a senior biology major with a concentration in physical therapy recommends getting out there and being with people.
“I tried to go out and make friends, go to the events, and get involved with some of the organizations on campus,” Kern said.
Staying busy is a key. For most people, it involves getting out on the campus and being social with everyone, going to every event possible, and dipping their fingers in as many organizations as they can stand while also managing to balance their classes.
For others, the comfort zone is staying in the room and playing video games or reading a few good books. Whatever the comfort zone is, stick to it, but just always stay busy. This way, you remain busy and won’t have the time to worry about missing everything back home.
The second tip is to still stay in touch. College will feel like a completely different world, and you may find yourself immersed and drowning in everything that’s happening around you. However, never forget to keep in touch with those back home, particularly your family. They may be able to keep you grounded when you’re floating away, and it’s always nice to hear a voice from back home to remind you of your roots.
Third, as hard as it is, stay healthy! Eat healthy foods, try and hit up the DISC every once in a while, and don’t be completely shut off from the entire world. If you eat healthy and try to work out, you will feel good physically. Also, as hard it is for a college student, attempt to get eight hours of sleep every night, or at least get enough that you’ll wake up feeling good about yourself in the morning.
Keeping in touch with people will keep your social and mental health up. Shutting yourself off from everybody will just be completely detrimental and will make you feel alone in the world when you’re not.
The fourth and final tip to share is to focus on academics. They are the entire reason you’re here, the whole reason you’re paying a lump sum of money. You shouldn’t be here to get drunk every night and stay in bed hungover the next morning. That’s just a waste of money and a waste of time. These grades and this major are what will get you through the next stage of your life.
These are just a few key survival tips to get through the first year of college. So, keep them in mind as you go through the year, and you should do just fine. Just don’t forget to have fun along the way!