“This semester I am going to go to the gym, stay ahead in my work, take as many hours at my job, and spend time with my friends while maintaining a steady sleep schedule and decent diet” is A LOT easier to say than to follow through with.
My general goal going into any semester is to find a healthy balance between school, work, and friends. Here I am 6th week in and already sleep deprived and drowning in work. Rather than crying about it I decided that I would share some useful tips so stay awake and alert.
School: School comes first ALWAYS and when I say first I obviously mean after family. But this is why you’re here at Oswego to literally go to class. SO GO TO CLASS. Get smarter. Have intelligent conversations, have silly conversations, just as long as you are having them.
Tips about class-If you are not a morning person; don’t try and be one. Schedule afternoon and night classes. If you like to get up early sign up for the 8 am. There is nothing better than having your day over before noon. I also suggest actually getting to know your teacher. Have them know your name, participate in class. Getting to know your teachers can be useful in the long run.
Make money: Jobs are great. They teach you responsibility and give you some disposable income which can be very useful in college (every student is broke and if you aren’t congrats don’t brag). Jumping into a job too soon can be a huge risk. The transition from high school to college is immense. Your first semester is said to be one of the most difficult semesters you’ll have. Don’t stress yourself out even more by adding in a job. Figure out if you can manage one first without one.
Tips about working- I started working on campus my sophomore year. I had successfully completed a whole year of college with around a 3.5 GPA. Working for SUNY Oswego Campus Recreation is something that exponentially contributed to my time management skills. It became less Netflix and more work in the library. I had deadlines for classes and I set deadlines for myself.
Staying healthy: When you’re a college student, you can have your cake and eat it too. No parents, no rules. However, when your jeans get smaller it can be really discouraging. Once in a while, eat an apple. Don’t get fries for lunch and dinner, get a salad sometimes. Just because mom isn’t around doesn’t mean vegetables shouldn’t be either.
Tips on staying healthy- Two words: AIRBORN and WATER. Taking a vitamin can be annoying but college is so germy it is important to be proactive. We have all been sick but the worst thing is waiting until it’s too late. Dying in your residence hall isn’t fun for you, your roommate or anyone for that matter. Take preventative measures (especially in our winters).
Working out: If working out, sports teams, or even participating in gym class wasn’t your thing in high school it is never too late to start! If you were active in high school keep on trucking! Leading an active lifestyle promotes a healthy lifestyle, a better heart, and more active mind. Whether it is once a week or once a day, being active in college has a multitude of benefits.
Tips on being healthy- I met tons of my friends playing intramural sports and going to group exercise classes. It is a nice way to break up the week. Going to a Zumba class gives you a great workout for about 45 minutes and you can go back to lying in bed with Netflix ASAP. PSA: One does not need to have rhythm to partake in Zumba. It is four years later and I still participate in intramurals with the same friends. Intramural sports last about an hour a night. There are men’s leagues, co-ed leagues (called Co-rec) and women’s leagues!
Have fun: School is going to get stressful. If you have a job, it will get stressful. Your pants; sorry but they’ll probably get tighter. BUT with the right support system and good friends, you will be able to survive the toughest of times!!
Tip from a senior- Make these four years count, because they’ll be over before you know it!