Being a freshman in college can be a very exciting time! As everything is new: your room, your friends, your classes and professors, the food you eat, and the amount of homework you receive, it’s a slippery slope as you can very easily get caught up in it all and forget what you’re actually there for. However, the opposite can also be said. It’s all about finding the right balance between school work and social life and managing your time well.
Here are a few things you should, at any cost, experience on weekends or so while you are out there trying to figure out your schedule during the weekdays:
If you’re living in a dorm, leave your door open when you’re home, join a club, any club, take a class that you would never have considered in high school (e.g., entomology, racquetball, Mediterranean cultures, etc.) as this is the best time you can discover all kinds of knowledge on a professional level that you haven’t been aware of before, talk to the people in your classes–you never know when and where you’ll find your best friend.
Invest in a really awesome planner–you’re going to need it, go to the activities/events that are specifically for freshmen and meet people, get to know your advisor, find your study spot on campus, spend a weekend or break at someone else’s house to experience other ways of living, go to the organization fairs and join something you’ve never heard of, attend at least one sporting event each semester, and the list goes on.
Basically, don’t get caught up in your room for hours. Go out and explore your campus and the people in it. If you are in a big city, check that out too! There are always chic cafes and restaurants available on college campuses.
At the end of the day, don’t forget to have fun in your stressful life.