Your first semester of college can seem very overwhelming and scary, especially if you are a first-generation student. I am here to help by sharing advice for college freshmen. Some of the tips I am sharing I have either learned through experience or wish someone had told me my freshmen year.
Advice for College Freshmen from an Upperclassman
Get Involved on Campus
One of the best pieces of advice for college freshmen I can give is to get involved. There are so many ways to get involved on campus. For example, there are many clubs and organizations you can become a part of. There is also the option of joining a fraternity or sorority. Lastly, there are the events on campus all of this helps you gain connections and make friends during your time on campus. However, there are many more benefits to getting involved on campus.
Gain a Sense of Community
Getting involved on campus through organizations and clubs help college freshman gain a sense of community. This community can help you in numerous ways while you are getting your degree. For me personally, my community has helped me study for exams, kept me accountable for class attendance, and have events to look forward to.
Great for Building Your Resume
On top of gaining a sense of community, being involved in organizations can help you build your resume after college. These clubs and organizations can help you gain experience through holding positions and organizing events. All of which can be used on your resume to help impress future employers.
Keep Yourself Accountable
My next piece of advice for college freshmen has to do with accountability. One mistake I notice the most that college freshmen make is not keeping themselves accountable. Once you have lost your accountability it is very hard to regain it, by the time you do it might be too late.
Class Attendance
Most classes do not take attendance, meaning many students don’t come to class. College professors are not like high school teachers, they do not care whether you show up to class or not. As a result, students who skip class miss important information and fall behind in class very easily.
Classes that do take attendance, use the points for it in the grade book. As a student, it is very important to take every point you can get, you never know when you might need it.
Completing Assignments
Like I said before with class attendance, college professors do not care if you complete your assignments or not. It is your responsibility and the professors will not nag you to turn in your assignments, unlike high school teachers.
Buy a Planner
This is a tip I think is very important. Having a planner will help you keep track of due dates for assignments and important tests/quizzes. It can also help you plan ahead for studying as well as help you manage your time and prioritize.
In addition to helping you organize your tasks for classes, a planner can help you keep track of dates for events. Colleges should be a balance between classes and fun. An experience you should enjoy while working your degree.
About the Author
Hello! My name is Rebecca and I am Loren’s intern for this summer. I’m focusing on bringing you great tips on social media and informative blog content! I am majoring in integrated marketing communications with a minor in graphic design at Wichita State University. To learn more about me visit the Meet Rebecca page.
