Whether you’re an incoming freshman who has just started college courses or you’re already a few years into your degree, you know that college can be overwhelming and it involves adjusting to a completely different lifestyle than high school. You have to be organized, know your class schedule, study and do homework, stick to a budget, and factor in any clubs, sports, or groups into your busy life.
To help keep you on track, we’ve compiled some useful tips and tricks to help you survive this semester.
1. Use Your Devices
Your smartphone is your calendar, your alarm clock, your planner, your communication device for email, calls and texts, and many other things, so use it to your best ability! Sync your phone to your laptop for even easier access to all your organizational tools.
2. Make Your Schedule Work for You
While you may not always get the best schedule — all classes after noon — college is a time to find out what kind of worker you are or want to be. Do you have the most energy in the morning, afternoon, evening? Try to schedule your classes or study times around the time that you feel at your best and most focused.
3. Have the Money Talk
Money isn’t the most exciting topic, especially when you don’t have much of it, but you do need to speak with your parents and/or your college or university’s financial aid office to plan out what your expenses will be. Learning how to budget is a valuable skill for beyond college as well. It’s not too early to check out this detailed article: Transitioning from College to Career: A Guide for New Grads. There are even apps for budgeting!
4. Healthy Cafeteria Choices
If you’re living in the dorms and have a meal plan in the cafeterias, it can be difficult to make healthy choices with the variety and unlimited portions. If you don’t want to gain the “freshman 15,” then learning to eat well is an important college experience.
5. Find Your Study Zone
Do you have an ideal study environment? If not, you should find one. If you require a completely quiet room, then you may want to reserve a study room in the library or invest in noise-cancelling headphones. If your roommate is being too loud or the library is too crowded, you should have a plan B study zone to get your work done.
6. Find a Mentor
Whether it’s a professor or counselor at your college, a family friend, or a professional you meet in passing, a college mentor can help you succeed in college. Mentors give helpful advice, can help set up internships and job shadowing opportunities. Programs like Future Institute's help first-generation college students thrive and persist through college.
Come back to the Future Institute Blog for more advice, tips, and tricks to help you get through college!