Freshmen Survival Advice for Life
As students you bring many things with you: books, computers, spending money, hopes and dreams. Yet, as with any other major life change, what most will not bring is experience.
The campus is a new world, and here, it is not the strong but the teachable who survive. Institutions for post-secondary education are not just about classrooms and laboratories; there is more to learn at college or university than what is covered in class.
These are Life Skills. Most will probably remember less about Introductory Psychology than they will about how that professor changed their attitude.
So to this new crop of freshman, and to those who have already begun their academic career, I offer some tips for student survival based on the experiences of those who have already survived. carpe diem – seize the day! Be brave, be bold, be ready to learn and be prepared:
- Prioritize: There are so many new things to do at a new college or university, social and academic. Give yourself time to make new friends and become familiar with the campus, but don’t forget why you are there. Set parameters for social activities and manage your time wisely. If you don’t have a “system” for planning your time now (like a day timer, a computer date book, a selection of Post-It notes on your wall), get one. Learn not to operate on the “tyranny of the urgent,” and don’t rely on your memory.
- Learn the rules: Every campus has its own set of rules and regulations, and they are usually pretty good at letting you know what they are. Guidelines, restrictions, rules and regulations of all kinds can usually be found in your student handbook (student guide, joining instructions, calendar). READ THEM. It may seem like reading stereo instructions, but if you know how to play the game, you have a better chance of winning (or at least playing well). What dates are important? What pieces of paper need to be handed in when? What can or can’t you do in class? What can/can’t you do in your student residence? Who has authority for what? What do you need to complete to graduate? Knowing how the system works will help you to be a more effective student, a better room mate and tenant, a more organized graduate and a better job candidate. Don’t be surprised. Remember – ignorance of the law is no excuse!
- Study: This point cannot be overemphasized. You have heard it before and you will hear it again, so take heed. Consider this – 80.2% of college students in the United States pay between $3,000 and $9,000 per year for their education, and that’s just tuition. Think about the money you will be spending and consider how much of it you are wasting for every course you have to repeat or replace. You are a student now – studying is your job. Prepare your daily twenty-four hour budget with this in mind: 1 hour of classroom or laboratory time = 2-3 study hours (average)A course that requires 3 hours in class per week will require at least 6 hours of study per week. You know what you have to do; don’t underestimate the time it takes to be prepared for classes, papers and exams. Don’t procrastinate and say you’ll read something later. Later never comes.
- Be thoughtful: You will learn a lot about who you are while you are at college or university, but there will always be more to learn. Explore new ideas and how they relate to you, but don’t make hasty decisions. Some decisions are better when spontaneous – and have few residual effects – but they are very few. The choices you make in college could continue to affect you for the rest of your life. And that may not be a good thing.If you become interested in archaeology, for instance, don’t go off and buy a plane ticket to Turkey. If you are interested in the gorgeous guy who models for your life – drawing class, don’t get his name tattooed across your back. Consider your options, and what is sparking your interest. Take some time and think about it.
- Monitor your money: Getting a post-secondary education is expensive. Whether you are paying with scholarships, grants, student loans, parental aid or paying for the whole thing yourself, remember:Avoid the Automatic Teller Machine (Bank Machine) – it’s too easy to forget how much you’ve spent. Be prepared for expensive textbooks – they can run as much as $100 (US), for one book, for one class. It’s a commitment. Estimate your costs before you go – begin with what you have (your income or allotted funds for the year) and subtract fixed costs (tuition, rent/housing costs, car payments/insurance, parking), factor in food, books, other supplies, spending money. Be generous, and put it on paper.Don’t eat out – cooking may take a bit longer, but it’s far less expensive. If you don’t know how, learn.NO CREDIT – ignore the credit card company advertisements about your “arrival to adulthood.” This is not the time in your life to explore the pitfalls of credit. If you don’t have the money in your account, don’t buy it.
- Find resources: Attending college may have unique implications for women. Most colleges and universities now recognize this fact and offer services for female students.Check to see if your college or university offers a handbook for female students. See if there is a listing of female faculty and staff, particularly those who are interested in tutoring and personal support of female students. Look up women’s study groups, fellowships, clubs, sororities and discussion groups.Be aware of situations that can interfere with your education – sexual harassment is no longer a surprise to anyone and most post-secondary institutions have policies in place to deal with it. Don’t allow fear to ruin your academic experience, but know that you do not have to accept situations that make you feel uncomfortable or which threaten to jeopardize your education. Get help.
- Network: This is something I did not learn until it was almost too late. Getting to know your instructors and fellow students is invaluable to learning and to your future plans.A good working relationship with your instructor will make your course work a lot less confusing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Take advantage of their office hours. Make yourself known to them, so that they are in a better position to help you. Be aware that as a first year student, this will present challenges. Most first-year courses are over-registered and the instructors will be pressed to remember their own name, let alone anyone else’s. Be persistent, but not obnoxious.\Good habits developed now will come in handy in your final years – courses will be smaller, specialized and instructors will be looking for the brightest and the best in each discipline. This will be invaluable if you decide to continue your education. If he or she is aware of your work, attitude, personality and skills, they are in a much better position to offer references.And don’t forget your fellow students. Though some disciplines thrive on competition, students can still work together. Study together and form study groups, share resources and edit each other’s work. These may be friends or career boosters you are building up for a lifetime – don’t neglect them.
- Communicate: A large part of the learning process at this level is learning to be a better communicator.There’s an old saying that says you have two ears and one mouth for a reason – listen more and talk less. Pay attention to those who have spent years in the field you are interested in and learn from the experiences of senior students.But good listening skills are not enough. Express yourself clearly. Think about what you are going to say before you say it; make sure that what you are trying to get across is clear and thoughtfully presented. This is a skill you will develop through various projects and presentations, but you will also learn a lot if you are living with a room mate. Make sure they know what you are feeling – never assume that they will be able to tell what is bothering you. Being a good communicator is a vital life skill, one that will serve you well in whatever career path you choose.
- Stay healthy: Your mind will be very active while you are in college – make sure that your body is up to the challenge.Exercise helps to increase the flow of oxygenated blood to every part of the body. All of your muscles and organs – including the brain – require oxygen, so make sure you spend time every day (or every second day) raising your heart rate through some kind of aerobic activity.To exercise and study effectively, your body also needs fuel. Make sure you are eating a well-balanced diet. Finances and lack of time force many students to adopt unhealthy eating habits – a lot of fast-food, eating out or canned/frozen/boxed food at home. Don’t eat out, if you can avoid it. Eat fresh food whenever possible (vegetables are usually a lot cheaper than frozen pizza). Drink water. Pay attention to your physical health. Your life needs balance.
- Find meaning: Education is important; it helps give you the tools for significance in this life. But this life ends–what happens then?
If you have ever asked, “Is this all there is?”, you’ll be happy to discover that the answer is “no.” There is more to life than what most of us are living. Who and what you are – all of your talents, skills, habits, tastes, intellect–are a gift given to you. God gave you life. He created you out of love and wants to know you personally.
You may be wondering how knowing God personally can help you find meaning. God created you with a unique purpose in mind. Think of the meaning and direction a person could find by heading straight to the source of life, the one who defined the meaning and purpose for that person. Imagine being loved thoroughly and deeply for exactly who you are by the creator of the universe! Nothing about you surprises him because he formed your very body, mind and soul.
But how is it possible to know a holy God personally? Our sin separates us from God; it breaks possibility of relationship with him, but don’t have to stay that way. We commit the crime, but we don’t have to do the time. God loves us so much and could not bear for us to be apart from him that he sent his own Son to die on a cross. The penalty has been satisfied and we can have freedom – to live in a relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, and experience the abundant life he promised us.
The beginning of college is exciting. New ideas to explore, new challenges to be met and many decisions to be made. Your future begins here.
Make the most important decision you will ever make. Consider finding out more about Christ and the possibility of inviting him into your life, walk with Him through this life and spend eternity with him in heaven.
Living my life for gods purposes,not my purpose.