First-year of college is crucial because it’s the phase when you move from school life to an upper stage. College is different from school as it provides a new environment where study materials are more intensive, where you get to meet larger numbers of people, where you are more likely to adapt to a new lifestyle, etc. This is why the first year at college can be a bit tough. But, don’t worry! This article is meant to give you everything you need to survive and enjoy this stage. There is no one rule to follow to survive this year but a group of rules or recommendations may help you. These suggestions or rules are related to every aspect of your college life: study, social life, physical health, etc.
Social Context
The first thing that can be difficult to adapt to is the social context of college. It’s not a school class where a limited number of students exist but a vast campus on which thousands of students and faculty members live and study. So, in your first year at college, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a whole community. To make this first year easier to navigate, you need to pay attention to your social behavior. Many students fail to live this experience because they get scared when they find themselves new in this society. However, follow these rules about social life to survive the first year at college:
1- Don’t stay in your room. Get engaged with people
2- Make friends and accept other people
3- Keep in touch
4- Get involved in events
Being a first-year college student might be intimidating at first, which pushes students to stay in their dorms avoiding people because they are scared to get out of their comfort zone. However, to survive your first year, you should be social. Get out of your room and get engaged with people. Talk to your classmates, professors, and people on campus. This way you will get rid of anxiety, get to know the environment around you, and benefit from that by having an idea about your courses, discovering your campus, knowing about college events, and many more. If you stay in your room in the dorm, no one will come and drag you out or tell you what you need to know.
You should get engaged with people to make friends who will make college life easier and more enjoyable. But, to make friends you need to be able to accept people who are different from you as in college you’ll meet people with a variety of interests, backgrounds, and lifestyles. When you meet new people, try to keep in touch with them so that you’ll find them close to you when help is needed. Getting involved in college events is absolutely helpful. It shows you as a social and active participant in front of faculties and helps you with your college social life.
Healthy Habits
The second thing that you should pay attention to is your health. The first year at college is not only difficult in terms of social life but also difficult in terms of health. This is because you can easily be swiped away by some unhealthy habits or lifestyles. You will easily fall short of sleep or become increasingly dependent on fast food. Your time schedule will also be a bit difficult to manage at the beginning as you have to be on time for classes, assignments, other campus activities, hanging out with friends, etc… This way, you’ll find yourself running out of time and not getting enough sleep. The result would be confusion, fatigue, and lack of concentration which will be a threat to your success in the first year. Therefore, to survive the first year in college:
1-Sleep well
2-Follow a healthy diet
3-Exercise
4-Have time to relax
In your first year at college, make sure you get enough sleep in order to stay mentally active and focused. If you miss some sleep during the week, try to make up for that at the weekends. Also, follow a healthy diet. A diet with too much fast food will decrease your energy, deprive you of essential nutritious elements that will provide you with energy, and put you at some health risk issues. It’s okay to enjoy some time with friends having some pizza or fast food, but you shouldn’t make it part of your diet. Moreover, exercise will build your body and help you fight tough days in your first year at college, so try to do sport at least three times a week. Walking to college might be a good alternative in case you don’t have time to go to the gym. Finally, you should allocate some time each week for you to relax and shake off the stress of college. You can spend it doing your favorite exercise.
Academic Performance
Another thing that you should give some consideration to is your academic performance in order to survive your first year in college. This requires organization and concern. Your academic performance is what is going to take you to the next level, so it’s very important in order to survive the year. As a fresher, you might get confused about what you should do. Basically, you need to:
1-Attend classes regularly
2-Talk to your professors
3-Ask peers for help
4-Arrange your time
As a fresher, you might skip classes due to an overcrowded schedule. This will cause you to fail exams due to a lack of information. So, attending classes is a priority. Also, you should take notes to refer to during revision and exams. If you have any confusion, go to your professors’ office and ask for help. You can also talk to your peers and benefit from their ways of study. You and them can share sources and ideas. Arranging your time schedule is actually a key to survive your first year in college. Find time to study, relax, exercise, sleep and socialize. Improve your academic performance with the best colleges in coimbatore
