Hi everyone! With spring in the air (sort of) and April fast approaching, I’m sure everyone is getting anxious about their upcoming freshman year (or transferring to a new school). In light of upcoming events, I thought you would all like to know some basic tips for survival for your first year at a new school!
1. Less is more, especially when it comes to packing for your first year living in the dorms! Trust me, I had two cars full of my stuff when moving into my dorm freshman year! And also trust me when I say I did not use even half of the things I brought with me. You might think you need those shoes you haven’t touched in two years “just in case”, but they will be just fine staying in your closet at home until you come back.
2. THE FRESHMAN 15 IS REAL! You might think this is a myth, but I can assure you it is not. This might be a sad truth to realize, but it is better to stay on top of this then realize it when it is too late. You can join the gym on campus, participate in intramural sports with your friends, or even try out yoga!
3. Come into college with some money in your pocket! Whether it be from working all summer, or with a little help from your parents, you are going to need some cash in order to get through. There are even some employment opportunities on campus!
4. You don’t have to buy all of your books from the bookstore!!! (sorry Oswego). There are many alternatives to purchasing your textbooks full price from the college store. See if someone on campus is selling the book(s) you need, check online, etc. You could even find out if the textbook for your course has been placed on reserve at the library by your professor, then you can use it for free!
5. Don’t make yourself sick stressing about your grades. When I was a freshman, I came into college not knowing what to expect when entering my classes that first semester. YOU ARE GOING TO RECEIVE A BAD GRADE AT SOME POINT IN YOUR COLLEGE CAREER (or two, or three…) but this is nothing to be ashamed of or worry about too much. The best thing to do in this case is set up a meeting with your professor to see where you went wrong, and learn from this mistake to prevent it from happening again in the future. It happens to everyone!
I hope you all found these tips helpful! 🙂