5 Tips We’d Tell Ourselves as College Freshman

5 Tips We’d Tell Ourselves as College Freshman

Graduation is getting closer, which is making us think more and more about the next steps in our lives and how much we’ve grown since meeting each other freshman year. College is one of the biggest learning experiences we’ve faced and it has definitely taught us a lot about who we want to become. The simplest advice we can give incoming college freshman, or even those of you facing a mid-sophomore year-crisis, is this: commit to making yourself happy, and the rest will fall in place.

But, for those of you who’d appreciate a more detailed list of advice, (because you know that S&J love a good to-do list), keep reading below:

1. Say Yes to New Adventures

Let’s face it- new experiences are always awkward. You may come into college knowing absolutely no one (like yo gurl Shir!), but what’s stopping you from making friends with your next door neighbor? Meeting a classmate at a fun restaurant to check out the local foodie scene? Or even going on a first date to see if there’s a spark there (or just for the free meal)?

2. The Freshman 15 Is a Myth

Sure, this may be the first time you’ve had a sip of alcohol, and we all know that campus food is nasty. But as long as you make a few healthy habits at the beginning, the freshman 15 will steer clear of your body!

Find time to work out.

Figure out what times your campus gym is least busy so that you have a chance at using the treadmill. Go on a walk through campus with your roommates.

Carry a water bottle with you to class

So that you don’t forget to hydrate hydrate hydrate throughout the day.

Most importantly, AVOID the temptations.

Yes, we’re talking about the pizza boxes in the dorm lounge, bowls of candy laying around in random places, the 20 boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts ordered at every class or organization meeting, and the late-night eating. And after a long night out, we all know that all anyone wants to do is devour all of the existing snacks in his/her pantry.

3. Make To-Do Lists and Actually Complete Them

If you know S&J, you know that we’re obsessed with making to-do lists and cannot live without our planners. To make it more exciting, get yourself a trendy and organized planner. Since we’re all college students here, Target makes amazing planners. Check out brands like Sugar Paper and At-A-Glance at your local Target!

Try dividing your list into the following: Life, School, and Fun. There is a time and place for everything and sometimes you need to sacrifice a night out with friends to study for an exam worth 30% of  your grade, but hey that’s part of growing up.

College Graph

4. Do the Extra Credit

We know that you sometimes think that you’ll do well enough to not need the Extra Credit Opportunity your professor offers, but trust us do it anyways. What’s an extra hour or two of your time compared to the whole letter grade change you’ll be grateful for at the end of the semester?

5. Be selfish

It’s silly and a bit cynical to say, we get it, but it’s accurate. Ignore the haters & give yourself the strength to do what you’re passionate about whether or not people support it. If your friends and family love you, they will always support you  no matter what. At the end of the day, it’s your life and you’d rather be living your future rather than someone else’s. *Think about this when deciding on a major: Your major isn’t as important as you may think* We like to think that yes, college is one amazing part of your life, but it is important to make your life something more than just being a college student.

XX,

S&J

You might also like