10 Most Important Tips For Freshman

There are lists that go on and on with over 50 tips for freshman, but there are 10 above all I believe everyone should know.

College is probably one of the best times in any student's life. Yes, there can be many downsides and plenty of obstacles that present themselves, but the experience itself is just... wow. Personally speaking, I was not prepared for college whatsoever when I started. One day I blinked and I was a month away from graduating high school with no plan or idea on what I would do after I shook all those hands. 

I hadn't looked into any schools, any majors, any opportunity post-graduation and I was freaking out. Lucky for me, I had a friend who guided me through the entire process and helped me get accepted into the same school as her. While she started in the Fall of 2015, I was accepted and invited into a program during the summer of 2015. I was quite literally thrown into the rodeo right after graduation and I wasn't smart enough to google some tips to surviving. Lucky for you, I've got your back.

Here are 10 of the most important tips and advice any incoming freshman can receive.

1. Learn how to laundry.

We all hate laundry, you're not the only one. I hate laundry so much, I would rather throw my clothes away and buy new ones instead if I could. Laundry is an important skill that comes into play during your time in college, especially in a dorm building. For the most part, you'll either be sharing units with the floor or with the entire building. During my time in college, we had about 8 units to share between 4 floors of approximately 32 residents per floor. If you're good at math, that's 8 washers and dryers for about 128 residents. 

Knowing how to wash your clothes, how to dry them, and how to keep track of when they'll be done are three very important skills every college student needs. I can not stress that enough. You would be surprised at how many of those 128 residents flooded a washer or had their bedding catch on fire inside the dryer. 

For those who have never used a washer in their life, here's a great video on the basics of doing laundry:

2. Coordinate before arriving

College dorms are small, not that small, but small. A standard dorm room will include two beds, two desks, two drawers, and two closets. Two of everything means less space for pretty much anything you might want to bring. Coordinate with your roommate! Right before you move in, your school typically sends you your roommate's information so that you can get in contact with them, do it. There's nothing more annoying than showing up and you both brought a tv, a fridge, and a microwave. Chances are, you'll have to get rid of one of each because there's simply no space for it. 

Communicating before moving in is the best way to agree upon who brings what and possibly sets some expectations up.

3. Watch what you eat.

This one is plain and simple. Be careful about what you put into your body. Every school has its own name for it but regardless of the name, it boils down to the same thing: the "freshman fifteen." Simply put, the freshman fifteen is a common expression used that refers to the amount of weight you gain during your first year in college... and boy, do you.

Temptation is high in college, especially when you've got that meal balance to buy Chick-fil-A every day. Be smart, eat smart. Most campuses are easy enough to walk from class to class and once in your dorm, chances are you won't want to go anywhere until the next day's class. Make sure you're burning enough calories to justify what you're consuming. Don't eat 1,000 calorie meals three times a day if you're sitting in bed for most of it, they will catch up with you.

AND PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING GOOD IN THIS WORLD, DO NOT EAT RAMEN EVERY DAY. I know it's dirt cheap, but don't eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

3. Use what you're paying for.

We all know that college is expensive, but do you know about the resources that you're paying for? Many students pull out loans and go into debt to get that college experience and then fail to actually use the resources those loans cover. Go to the campus gym, the library, home games, get tutoring help if you need it. Chances are all those things (and more) are covered by your tuition payment.

Take advantage of the fact that your tuition pays for library books, or that you get to go to games for free, or get that extra help you need in a class from your tutoring center. Many students go into their schools and walk around unaware of the services that are at their fingertips. If you feel alone or sad, go see someone, chances are your campus has mental health professionals ready to hear from you.

From summer '15 to Fall '19 I went to my campus gym maybe ten times, and two of those were with a class. You want to talk about missed opportunities, I could have been hot! Instead, I chose to sit in my room and play VR or whatever it was I was doing that was clearly less productive.

4. Always do something.

Simply put, don't let yourself get to a point in which laziness takes over. Try to do something always. There is so much to do on a college campus that sitting in your room shouldn't be an option! We live in a world where mental health is a spiking issue among college students. It's super important to keep your mind active and healthy and finding things to do is a great way to do just that. Once more, take advantage of those resources you're paying for! Go to the gym, run a mile on the fields, go to counseling, meet new people and join some clubs.

As a Junior I found myself doing less than I was used to, the previous year I had been an RA, and now I was just sitting in my bedroom procrastinating on work I should have been working on. Little by little I started doing less and less and I began to spiral. It wasn't until I joined a fraternity that the brothers there helped me seek help and put me back to work, stimulating my brain more than it had been prior. While joining Greek Life might not be for everyone, it's definitely worth a shot if you get the opportunity to experience it.

4.5 Greek Life

I feel the need to put this in here considering I just mentioned that I myself was in a fraternity. There is so much stigma around what it is that Greek Life does and how terrible it is. There's so much on the news about Hazing and potential members dying as a result. The sad truth is that there is hazing in many places even if we don't want to acknowledge it. However, I believe it's important to realize that not everyone's process is as enjoyable as my own and that there are students who lose their lives because of neglect. 

It's super important for you to know when something is right and when something is wrong. It's important not to fall into peer pressure and to stand your ground, especially when you're uncomfortable. It's very mature to walk away when you don't agree with something clearly wrong, despite what they may tell you. When rushing, I knew who I was and I knew what I stood for. While my mother thought me joining a fraternity was basically me joining a cult, I made sure she knew we were only sacrificing one goat. That didn't go over very well.

Greek Life has been a big part of who I became and a part of college I will treasure forever. The brothers there were like family and I hold love for each of them. While I was nervous and hesitant to join one, it was an amazing experience to support our philanthropy and watch as the Greek Life on campus attempted to make a difference for things they believed in. 

So if you feel it's what you want to do, be safe and be smart.

5. Be candid with your roommate.

It's very important to realize that you're going to be living with someone you've probably never met in your life, for an entire year. It's also important to realize that some of those people coming into college have never had to share a room with anyone, and being candid is important. It's very important to set boundaries and expectations from the getgo, and agree on those brought forward. 

If you live in a dorm building, chances are you'll have an RA or two on your floor. An RA, short for Resident Assistant, is another peer who is there to help you find resources or settle any conflicts that may arise during your time living in that building. I myself was an RA, and trust me when I say that we want you to need us. Being an RA is fun and all until you're sitting in your room staring at a wall because your residents aren't seeking you out. Use your resources!

6. Always carry an umbrella.

Weather can be unpredictable sometimes. At Western Carolina University, students like to say WCU actually stands for "Whee Carry Umbrellas" (Whee = Cullowhee, NC); a saying I never understood until I was sitting in class socks wet and everything.

Avoid feeling uncomfortable all day, buy an umbrella. 

Oh! If you've got the disposable income, get some rain boots or something, wet socks suck.

7. Shower shoes

Trust me, when you're sharing a bathroom with other people, you want these handy. During my time in college, I got to experience every bathroom experience a college can offer. During my freshman year, I shared a bathroom and shower with three other suites; 8 people for one shower. Sophomore year I shared with my entire floor (I lucked out on every room being single rooms), granted there were two bathrooms. Junior year I lived off-campus and got my own bathroom. In my last year and a half, I lived in a fraternity house and once again had my own bathroom to share with another brother.

Buy some kind of flip-flop if you find yourself in the same situation I was in my first two years of college, you never know what your hallmates are doing in that shower.

8. It's okay not to know

It's a lot for any 18-year-old to say "that's exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life;" yet they expect us to. I'm here to tell you that it's okay to doubt your major or fall in love with a class that makes you want to dive deeper into that field. Changing your major is really no big deal, I did it many times! 

According to a 2017 survey by the US Dept. of Education, about 30% of undergraduates change their major at least once within their first three years. Relax, you'll find your thing. 

9. BUDGET

You've probably heard this over and over again from every adult you've told you got into a university, but please listen. I sit before you, a 24-year-old, telling you that "budgeting" is a real thing. Not only is it a real thing, but it's super important. I won't lie, it sucks that the education system doesn't prepare us for real things such as budgets and check writing and doing taxes (also very important while you're in college btw), but a simple budget can get you a long way. 

When we think of budgeting, most of us think about the money that comes into our possession through a part or full-time job. Unfortunately for you, this also includes any meal plans you might have. It's important to know where you can afford to eat, how often you can eat there, and whether or not that Chick-fil-A will be worth it for the third time in the day. A thousand dollars in meal plan might seem like a lot in August/January, but when you're down to a hundred dollars by October/March, you start to wonder how you got so low so quick... and how you're gonna feed yourself the rest of the semester.

While the cafeteria food is definitely not as good as Chick-fil-A, Chili's, or whatever your school might offer, it can be a great money saver. When I crossed into my fraternity, my brothers and I spent a semester meeting up for lunch at the cafeteria every MWF to conserve our Declining Balance. While this was something small and easy, it saved us all money three times a week. Make a schedule to eat with friends, look for lower-cost options, and don't freak out if you run out of money in the first few months... cafeteria food isn't that bad.

10. Have fun

I truly can not stress this enough, have fun! College can be a lot of fun and you get opportunities you'll never get anywhere else. It took me a while to figure out the perfect balance to enjoy my time there and keep myself accountable for my work, but once found, it was semi-smooth sailing. Find that balance and take every opportunity, don't sit in your room all day!

Be smart, be aware, and be productive!

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