Surviving your freshman year: Battle plan for first time college students.

So you’ve finally made it through high school and you are starting your first semester in college. This is a very exciting time for you but it can also be very stressful. You are lonely, broke and surrounded by strangers.
According to American College Testing, half of incoming freshman will drop out before completing their education. But, the purpose of this article is not to stress you out further. You can make your first college year a good one if you follow some simple steps.

Keep in Touch – “Call your mother!” I’m sure you have heard this a thousand times in your life. Friends and family are your biggest fans and no one wants you to succeed more than they do. Plan a trip back home for the weekend or communicate through email.
Remember, you're not away from home forever. You’ll get to spend lots of time at home during the holidays.

Get to know who is around you –It’s perfectly normal for you to feel homesick when you get to college. This is especially true for students who have traveled from other states or countries to further their education. Remember, there are lots of other people around you that are in the same boat. This is the time for you to network. Try making new friends or join a club like the campus decoration committee. Maybe you could organize a cookout for everyone in your dorm on game day. These are the people who can truly relate to what you are going through and will be there to lean on when you need them.

Get Organized – This isn’t high school anymore and you won’t have your professors hounding you for your homework. If you are taking 15 credit hours this semester, it’s not all that difficult to miss a due date or forget about an assignment altogether. It’s probably time to learn how to use that calendar app on your cell phone and keep track of your due dates.

Meet your professors. College professors are humans too. They will probably be more willing to help you throughout the semester if you make yourself known. Don’t be afraid to speak up during class discussions. If you know the answer, raise your hand. You might want to stay after class and go over the lecture. Maybe you need some pointers on the semester project and need to schedule extra time to meet with your professor. For whatever reason, you are demonstrating that you are assertive and willing to learn. .

Get involved on Campus –Are you sick of the same old routine? You go to class in the morning, spend the afternoon with your nose in a book, then stare at the television set before you crawl into bed. Most of your free time is spent watching your roommate play Grand Theft Auto. Why not participate in a campus activity or club? Get involved with a class study group or campus awareness team. Being a part of an event or project gives you a sense of purpose and helps alleviate your boredom.

Show up for class –It’s very tempting to skip class when you were out with your buddies until 3:30 a.m. the night before. One or two absences won’t make or break your college career. However, habitual absences lead to poor class performance and will eventually affect your transcript. Crucial information you may need for the math quiz was covered in class and cannot be found in your textbook. Make it a habit to attend all of your classes and to participate in class activities. If you must sleep through your 8 a.m. History lecture, make arrangements with a classmate to copy any lecture notes or announcements from the class.

Strive for Balance – College life is a delicate balance of work and play. Nothing is more rewarding than blowing off some steam with friends after you aced your geography test. Remember that college is full of temptations. There will be times when you would rather go out with your friends than open a book. Learning to balance your course work with your social life is imperative to your success.

Resources