Coming into college, I didn't know that many older students who could give me useful tips on how to survive my freshman year. I am the oldest in my family, so this college thing was a first for my parents and me. By no means am I a professional college student now; I still learn something new every day! However, here is a DETAILED survival guide to help incoming freshmen get through the first year. I also reached out to my friends from other schools and my college friends at UGA, what are some things they wish they knew when coming into college. With COVID-19, some of these tips may not be that useful, but here are some tips I've learned from the last three years.
DORM LIVING
CLOTHES
One of my most significant issues was that I brought way too many clothes when I moved into the infamously tiny Brumby Hall. I know it is easy to overpack, even for a weekend trip. However, you have to cut back on what you're bringing. Unless you are way out of state, you'll go home fairly often, so if you need anything, it shouldn't be hard to get. So, when you move in, it's still hot, and in Georgia, it stays warm for a while. Bring what you wear now and nothing more. You don't need more than a sweater or two because it's 90 degrees outside. Dorm closets and dressers usually are tiny, so when the weather starts to change, take back home your summer clothes and bring back winter attire. There is no need to try and cram in all your clothes! My roommate and I had to learn the hard way.
When moving in clothes, I put my hanging clothes in small groups and put trash bags over them. It makes it easier to carry up and takes less time having to hang those clothes back up. For folded clothes, I put them in any container I was bringing to move in, such as a laundry basket or storage containers rather than moving boxes.
Shoe organizers to hang or to put at the bottom of your closet (if you have room) is also a lifesaver! If you keep up with it, it keeps your shoes organized and avoids clutter around your dorm/closet.
Laundry. I hate laundry. Always have, always will. However, do not be like me, and only do your laundry once a month. Yes, I just admitted to that. I would literally wear everything I owned until it was all dirty, and I had almost 3 loads of laundry to do. I put it off so bad just because the laundry room was a floor above me. I guess what I have learned and am still learning is to JUST DO IT. Listen to the Nike advertisements and just do it. Just do the laundry when your basket fills up, and life will be much easier. I still struggle with this, I think if I just put it in a dirty clothes pile it will disappear, but I've gotten to where I know if I do the laundry, it will be much easier for me in the long run.
This isn't about clothes, but make sure you have a shower caddy if you live in the dorms and have a community bathroom. Shower caddies are essential when taking a shower in community bathrooms.
FOOD
Living in a classic dorm is good and bad. For the dorms at UGA, you don't have a kitchen unless you are on the East Campus dorms. But other than that, it's small box rooms with hardly any space. I highly recommend renting or buy a mini-fridge and microwave. My roommate and I rented ours, which was kind of a hassle when we had to return it, but it relieved us from worrying about having it in the future when we wouldn't need it. You could easily buy a mini-fridge and microwave re-sell it the next year to a new freshman!
Do not buy plastic water bottles, use a reusable water bottle. I feel like this is obvious because everyone already does this. But plastic water bottles are bad for the environment. You could invest in a Brita for the mini-fridge to refill with, or there will be a filtered water fountain on your dorm floor. Much more accessible, cheaper, and takes up less space!
Grocery shopping for yourself, may be a new venture for you. I know it was for me. I had NO clue what to buy myself, so I started to purchase random snack foods... which is not good. The freshman 15 (or 30) is VERY REAL. Snack foods are okay because when you're sitting in your dorm and don't feel like walking to the dining hall, definitely eat a snack! Just try to balance your diet, which I am still not great at, but I wish I understood this much better freshman year. The best grocery stores to do this at would be Trader Joes! I had no clue Trader Joes existed until I came to college, to be honest.
Speaking of food, the dining hall. Dining halls are great, especially at UGA. At the time, I got sick of them and tired of eating the same thing every day. But, I miss it dearly because it made life much easier. If you're going to UGA, make sure to get a dining hall pass. UGA also has Paw Points you can buy with your dining hall plan, which is money on your Student ID to purchase food from the restaurants on campus! Those are so helpful because it helped keep me on a budget (sometimes) and keeps you from getting sick of the dining hall. However, when it comes to eating in the dining hall, do not be like me and get in the habit of eating the same meal. The pasta bar in Bolton Dining Hall was my go-to... and that is how freshman 15 happens. There is a salad bar for a reason. And other bars for a reason. Try them!
You do not need to eat every single time you go downtown. I had to learn the hard way. Sometimes, food is necessary after a fun night. But most of the time, it is not. Eating after drinking definitely will help create freshman year weight gain. I think every college freshman learned that the hard way.
ROOMMATES
I had a GREAT roommate freshman year even though we did not meet until move-in day! So, I don't have much advice to give on this topic other than COMMUNICATION! I'm not the most confrontational person, and neither was my roommate. However, we both understood the importance of telling each other how we felt. If my laundry got way out of hand, she would say to me, "Greer, please do something with your dirty clothes," and I would be like, "She's right. I need to do this," and boom. No issues. If she had her boyfriend over, she would tell me, and I would say to her when I was coming back to the room. No issues. We really had barely any problems, and if we did, we talked about it. I feel like A LOT of roommate drama I have heard about has had the core issue of miscommunication. Just tell them how you feel politely and maturely. Don't be scared, your feelings are valid, and so are theirs. If there are still issues after your talk, then there is a deeper problem. But to start, just keep communication flowing and open!
SOCIAL LIFE
GREEK LIFE
If you are a girl and rushing, please do not stress. It is already a stressful week, especially with the pandemic right now, I have no clue how it's going to go. Your Gamma Chi (or whatever they call them at the school you are attending) will tell you, "trust the process," It could not be more accurate. During recruitment, I got cut from a lot of houses after the first and second rounds. I honestly was crushed, but I wasn't alone. Most of my friends got cut from a lot of houses as well, along with their favorites. It happens for a reason! After being on the other side of recruitment, the girls rushing you are taught to know if you'd fit in with their sorority or not, if they cut you, do not take it as an insult. In the end, it helps you find your place!
When bid day rolls around, and you meet all your new "sisters," you may seem scared and out of place. At least, that's how I felt. Do not let this scare you away from the whole experience itself. I was very intimated and felt like I did not belong at first. I kept thinking, "all these girls seem so fun, and they are so pretty, how did I get here?" Especially being from a small town, I didn't know anyone on bid day and throughout my first few weeks. However, almost everyone feels similar and is looking for friends just like you are! It's not like high school anymore, you don't know these people at all. You have to put yourself out there and try! This was something that took me a long time to learn. I just figured no one liked me. However, they just didn't know me yet. Don't waste time feeling lonely; all it takes is, "what are your plans for the social tonight?" Or "do you want to go to chapter together?" and you'll have a new friend! It just takes some getting used too, you're not alone.
PARTY SCENE
With coronavirus still being a genuine threat in America, parties and downtown may not be a thing to worry about for a while. But if they are, here are some things I have learned. P.S. if you're a parent reading this, I'm not trying to condone anything illegal, but college parties are real, and these are some tips to have fun and be safe:
The first rule of thumb is to never go out or to a party alone. Social life in college is a big deal to some people, it's something you'll never experience again. It can be fun, but it also has to be done safely. If you are in a situation where you have to go somewhere alone, make sure you can meet up with your group. There is absolutely no reason for you to go to a party by yourself. Plus, why would you want to do that? That's no fun!
Most colleges have a fun, downtown, college scene. It's definitely a good time. My main advice is to be safe and not be stupid. This is a new environment you may not have experienced before. Therefore, do not go "too hard" when you're trying to have fun. When you haven't been downtown before, it's easy to get lost in fun and not know how much you can handle. Make sure you continue to drink water to avoid being sick. Keep track of how much you've had and be self-aware. Safety is essential when going downtown or to a party, no one wants to be the sick person there that has to go home early.
Check your Uber's. When you call an Uber or Lyft, say, "Who is this for?" and when they say your name (or whoever called it), you're good to go. You shouldn't say, "Is this for ___" because they could easily be lying when they say yes, which also goes for when you ask, "is this *name of driver*" because bad people lie, obviously. If you feel really uncomfortable, also check the license plate. Don't Uber alone if you have had too much fun, which also means do not let your friends Uber alone if they have had too much. If you absolutely have to Uber alone after you've had too much (first of all, get new friends), but also, make sure you are on the phone with someone the whole time. I would Uber alone a lot from downtown my freshman year, and now that I look back... it was dangerous. There have been so many Uber horror stories, so you should take the right precautions.
If you're attending a house/frat party, never sit your drink down by itself. I feel like most people have heard this, but if you are a girl, never just leave your drink sitting alone. If you're a boy, never drug a girl. If you can't get attention from a girl, and your solution is to drop something in someone's drink, then you need professional help and have a deeper issue. Just for the girls, though, like I already stated, do not go to a party alone. I cannot stress enough, keep track of how much you are drinking, and keep track of your friends. Boys are dumb and scary. That's not an excuse for how some act, but our society does not preach to them to not do bad things as well as they preach to girls. Therefore, keep an eye out for yourself, your drink, and your friends.
Finally, do not prioritize the college social scene. It is definitely fun and great when you have time for it. Part of my problem freshman year was I tried so hard to be involved with every social event that I did not focus on school as much as I should have. It sounds obvious, but you forget in the moment. School comes first, then being social. Finish what studying needs to be done, finish that paper, read that chapter, whatever you have to do, and then go out and have a good time. Do not say, "I'll do it tomorrow," because you may wake up with a headache and probably not do it.
SCHOOL LIFE
First of all, don't stress too much about what you want to do! Think about it, an 18 year old does not have to have their whole life planned out. That is what college is for, figuring out what you like and what you are good at. It's okay to change your major, add a minor, do whatever you want!
ORGANIZATION
Try to stay organized! I have ADHD so this can be very difficult for me but I try my best to keep dates in line of when things are due. College professors won't constantly remind you when a discussion board is due or when you have a quiz, so it's best to keep a planner. Personally, I have (digital) sticky notes on my laptop desk screen for each class with upcoming due dates. I also try to put big due dates such as exams in my phone calendar. High school teachers constantly reminded you when tests were coming up or when assignments were due, college professors don't do this as much so it's easy to forget!
TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks in college definitely can be expensive and sometimes unnecessary. I never buy my textbooks until after the first day or week of class. See how the class is structured and if the professor will actually be using the "mandatory" book. Sometimes professors say a book is necessary but, it really isn't used. Also, if you do need the book, try to rent it first from the book store or Amazon. Even better, try to find a PDF of the book online to download to your computer or iPad (if you are okay with reading online). It's cheaper and less of hassle!
OFFICE HOURS
Everyone told me office hours were critical, but I really didn't understand how. But, they are. Making a relationship and connection with your professor is important. They can help you out in ways you wouldn't think they would. When I did bad on a test, I emailed my T.A., and he let me come to his office hours and showed me what I did wrong on each question. I also did this with some other professors. Not all professors are out to make you fail, they want to actually teach you. I know in high school some teachers really just don't care, you pass automatically basically. College isn't that way. They want you to pass, but it's not easy. However, they are there to help you because they (usually) want you to succeed. With COVID-19, office hours will be online now. Do not be shy to email your professor or T.A. and ask for help! Even when physical office hours were available, I always emailed my professor before scheduling any actual appointment. Professors can be scary and intimidating, but they aren't all evil.
COURSEOFF
Scheduling your classes is the hardest thing to do when coming into college. I know for the first semester, you have help through orientation (not sure how online orientation went though). When you have to schedule for your next semester or are just looking to change around your schedule, Courseoff is the best website! It lets you plan out your schedule with actual classes with your school before actually registering. I know for UGA, you can log in using your UGA log in credentials. It has every class UGA offers with the time and professor available to map out how you want your schedule to look before your registration day! I didn't know about this website until my last few semesters, and it is super helpful.
RATE MY PROFESSOR
Rate My Professor is the BEST website ever. When creating your schedule for the new semester, use this website to figure out what class or what professor to take. As a freshman, you take multiple courses unrelated to your major, you have so many options in what to take and who to take it with. For example, I needed an Arts elective, so I decided on Dance Appreciation. There were two professors I could choose from. One was very difficult and made the "easy" class way more complicated than it should be while the other was a great professor. I wouldn't have known that without looking up the class on Rate My Professor! Students take courses and then leave reviews for it and the professor. When I had to take my French courses, I wasn't told who the professor would be until almost a week before classes began. When I was assigned a professor, I would then look them up on RMP, and find out if I needed to change who I had or keep them. This is essential because some classes can be very easy, but they all depend on who your professor is and how they teach. I didn't know about this website either until someone told me about it. It's much easier than trying to find someone who took that same course and asking them, but that is also helpful. I highly recommend this website when you make any registration decisions!
ADVISORS
Advisors are helpful to an extent. You have to have one, and you have to see them before registering for any classes. However, they aren't always right. Especially for majors (at UGA specifically), that you have to apply for. For example, I am in the Grady College of Journalism. Which I had to apply to get into. Before I was accepted, I basically had to see a "general" advisor. They specified in people going into Grady but, they weren't the most helpful person. They literally asked me on my first appointment ever, "what classes do you want to take?" As a freshman who had no clue what they were doing, that was a very vague question. Once I was in Grady, I have a great advisor now who is very knowledgable on what I need to graduate and is helpful. However, that is not the case for every person and every major. Before your advising appointment, come in with a clue of what classes you will need for the next semester and questions ready. You can do this with DegreeWorks through UGA's website or whatever it is called at your college. It shows what credits you have and what you are missing. Also, reach out to older people! If you know anyone at your college, whether they are in a similar major as you or not, ask about classes! Either they will know, or they have a friend who knows what to do. Don't be shy, and also don't completely trust the judgment of your advisor. Yes, they are there to advise you, but they also advise other students. You aren't their top priority, so don't put all your faith in their advice. You may end up without a course credit you didn't realize you needed and have to graduate a semester late (yes, this has happened to many people I know).
STUDY
When I first came to college, studying was the hardest thing for me to grasp. Not saying high school wasn't difficult at times, but it is nowhere close to the same level as college. They try to prepare you in high school, but they really don't. The workload is just way more than you're used to. In high school, I really didn't study that much unless it was the last minute. However, I have been forced to learn how to study in college. I'm still not a pro considering I'm a terrible test taker (test anxiety!). Once your GPA drops, it is tough to get it back up. I guess my main point is to learn how to study. You cannot learn in class if you don't know how to study, especially since courses are mainly online now due to COVID-19. These may sound obvious, but it honestly took me some time to figure out how to study correctly (and I'm still bad at it).
Some things that have helped me are:
Pretty obvious but do not study in bed. Do not think sitting comfortably in bed will help you. I studied this way in high school. Studying is easier when you use the desk in your dorm (if you have one) or going to a study area (the library, a coffee shop, or student centers). If you sit in bed, you will get distracted or fall asleep.
Print out your syllabus on the first day of classes, or before. A syllabus in high school was pointless, but the syllabus in college may be one of the most important things to keep up with. It will tell you the attendance policy, the grading, the rubric, the schedule, what books you need-- everything.
Re-take your notes. This means if you typed your notes out, write them down in an organized way. If you wrote your notes, type them back out. This helps you re-read your notes and comprehending them.
Once you've done that, re-read your notes again and highlight important points. Highlighting is my favorite thing to do, but try not to highlight the whole page because then you lose the point in highlighting.
If you know anyone in your class or made class-friends, ask for their study guides or notes! They may have some content you missed!
QUIZLET IS A LIFESAVER! This is often used in high school too, but Quizlet is literally the best thing to exist when studying. I'll say it until I die. The "learn" option on Quizlet is so frustrating, but it also is how you learn because it will NOT let you move on until you get the question right. Quizlet is especially helpful when there are already Quizlet study guides created for whatever course you are taking.
CAMPUS TRANSPORTATION
If you go to a big school like UGA, the bus system can be intimidating. I didn't use the buses at all during my first semester. It can be very confusing and still is even as a senior! However, since the campus is so big, sometimes you have to use the bus. For UGA, the student app shows the bus routes and the times they arrive at each stop. This is very useful, but you need to know what each bus stop is called and where each bus goes to understand it completely. Don't be afraid to ask other students or older friends which bus to take and where to go. The campus is confusing and takes a few tries before you figure it out. You aren't the only one confused! Some friends recommended going to each building your class is in before classes start, so you have a general idea of where you will be going when classes start (if they aren't online).
SELF-CARE
Like I said earlier, the freshman 15 is very real. I still struggle with it because there are many good places to eat in Athens, and UberEats is very convenient. However, it is essential to watch what you're eating and get some kind of physical activity. You go from being pretty active in high school with whatever sport or extracurricular you did to nothing in college. You aren't "forced" to exercise in college. Before you realize it, you haven't worked out in a month, and you've gained five pounds. Whether it's walking to class and back one day or going to the gym, makes sure to get some time physically doing something and not just sit in your dorm!
Mental health is essential and isn't talked about enough on campus. Freshman year for me was more difficult than I expected. I went from a small town where I knew everyone to only knowing a handful of people from home who I barely saw. I had never moved houses, let alone moved cities in my life. This affected me socially and academically. So while studying and being social is vital in college, make sure you check on yourself sometimes. Look around your dorm, is it clean? Look at what you are eating, have you eaten today? Look at yourself, have you showered lately? Have you been sleeping well? Or have you been sleeping too much? It all sounds obvious, but when you get into a bad mental state, simple daily tasks become unimportant. If you feel alone in this, you're not. Most freshmen go through a tough mental state when they come to college, so always checking on yourself and even having a "self-care" day (what I call it now) can make a difference. "Self-care" days are days when I clean my room, do some things I want to do, and enjoy time alone. Don't feel obligated to go to that party, don't feel like you have to study yourself to death 24/7, take time for you every once in a while! If you feel yourself in a bad mental state, make sure to check out your school's therapy options. Therapy is not a bad thing! I believe everyone should go at least once. Sometimes just talking to someone who doesn't know you personally can release a lot of stress you didn't even realize you had. Always remember, freshman year of college is new to everyone, you're not alone.
Finally, college is hard at first. For me personally, it seemed like everyone already had friends and knew what they were doing! But after talking to my friends reflecting on freshman year, we all were a little lost and lonely at times. No one really knows what they are doing. I struggled with reaching out and making new friends. I thought everyone already had friends, but that's not the case always. Especially when you come from a small town or out of state, it's not high school, and you have to make an effort. You have to put yourself out there! Everyone is generally nice and looking for friends as well, so don't be scared. Making genuine friendships in college requires more work, but it's so worth it because these are the friends that will last a lifetime. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there!
コメント