How To Survive Your Freshman Year In College With Pictures

Will you have a kitchen? Will you have a fridge or mini fridge? Do you have the budget and desire to eat out? Would you like to eat in dining halls? (Lots of social interaction can happen there. ) Do you eat breakfast? Are there other sources of meals besides dining halls on campus?

The “freshman 15” myth has been debunked by research: most first-year students only gain a small amount of weight, and this is normal for their age. Frequent, heavy drinking is the biggest risk for serious weight gain.

If organized fitness isn’t your thing, try walking, jogging, or going to the gym with headphones on.

If you don’t get enough sleep on one night, get extra sleep to make up for it. Don’t try to test your limits. In extreme cases, sleep deprivation can kill people. Routine sleep deprivation may shorten your lifespan. Try to keep a consistent sleep schedule. Students whose sleep schedules are more consistent have higher GPAs. [4] X Research source

Do you often think about your size, diet, or exercise habits? Do you feel guilty about eating, or keep your eating habits secret? Do you use starvation or exercise to punish yourself? Are you always pushing yourself to lose more and more weight?

You can’t focus in class because of stress You miss class because of stress-related headaches, stomachaches, fatigue, or other illnesses You find yourself losing interest in your favorite hobbies or friendships Your eating or sleeping habits (eating/sleeping too much or too little) are harmed by stress You are becoming more and more isolated due to stress or fatigue You think it would be nice to die so you could escape from your problems Your stress is interfering with your ability to have a happy, functional life

Try going on outings together. You could get food, explore the campus, attend an event, or join a club together. Be there for them. Cheer them on when they face challenges. Celebrate their successes. Console them and validate their feelings when they’re upset. Respect their unique style. Some people are more introverted than others, and some want to hang out less than others. You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate if you or they don’t want to.

Use “I” statements, like “I can’t sleep well with music. Would you please wear headphones after midnight?” Try the nonviolent communication style, in which you make observations, state needs, and make requests. For example, “When I came in, I saw that the door was left unlocked. I worry about the safety of our things if they’re left like that. Please remember to lock the door behind you when you go. "

Music and noise. If you have really different taste in music, you may have to alternate music playing or resort to headphones. Set some “quiet hours” and some “loud hours” if you need too. For example, if one roommate likes to sing along to music, and one other doesn’t like it, maybe the roommate can sing while the other is in class. Earplugs and white noise can also be helpful for noise management. Visitors. Do you mind platonic sleepovers? How about non-platonic? Set up rules about overnight visitors before you think you’ll need them, to avoid awkwardness. Agree on a door signal or a message system ahead of time. Alcohol and partying. Talk about what is and is not okay. Maybe you are okay with a few friends over for beer, or maybe you want full party every weekend, or maybe you are not okay with any substances. Be willing to compromise both ways. It’s not fair to forbid your roommate from being social in their own space, but it’s also not fair to be constantly inundated with drunk people if it makes you uncomfortable.

There should not be any bad smells. There should always be a clear, wide walking path so that no one steps on anything. Microwaves and shared objects should not be gross.

Dorm room. Lock the door to your dorm, even if you are only stepping out for a minute. (Locking your door before leaving is also a good way to avoid locking yourself out: you’ll always remember your keys this way. ) Bike. Always lock up your bike. On some campuses, people will steal one wheel, so lock up both your wheels if this is a problem. Laundry. Set a timer on your phone for when your laundry is done. If you don’t pick it up, someone may throw it on the floor. Public spaces. Don’t leave your laptop, phone, or other items alone in a public space, even for short periods of time. It only takes a few seconds for someone to steal your things. If you do lose a personal item, search for it, and try asking at a help desk or the RA’s room. Someone may drop it off there. If it still doesn’t show up, tell campus police in case they find it.

Space heaters, candles, fairy lights, and other fire hazards are usually not allowed.

Wear shower shoes! Some diseases can be transmitted through the feet. A pair of cheap flip-flops will do. If you make a mess, clean it up. Do your business and move on, especially if there are long lines. You don’t want to make people wait too long.

It’s very normal to call more often when you’re just starting school, and when you’re having a tougher time.

If you tend to lose track of time, set an alarm for when it’s time to leave.

You may decide to use an app like Habitica or ToDoIst to track what you need to do. Digital calendars can help you track things.

If you’re sick, email a classmate to ask for the notes. You can also show up during office hours later to ask about what you missed. It’s silly to spend thousands of dollars on school, and then not show up. That is a waste of your money.

Your school’s disability center can help get you accommodations, such as a private room for tests, extra time on tests, a sign language interpreter, or seating up front. “Disability” doesn’t only mean blindness or needing a wheelchair. Anxiety, ADHD, depression, chronic fatigue, Tourette syndrome, autism/Asperger syndrome, dyslexia, and more count as disabilities you can get accommodations for. Don’t be afraid of getting accommodations. They’re meant to remove barriers so that you can succeed just like the other students can.

Try color coding if you’re a visual learner. Write down dates or textbook chapters. Try writing a title that summarizes the lesson.

If you have a laptop or tablet, use it for note-taking, not anything else. Some students, especially those with disabilities like ADHD or autism, need to fidget or doodle in order to focus. Choose a quiet activity that doesn’t require much brainpower. Be discreet about it, and make sure you are still listening.

Some people like to do schoolwork in the tutor center. It’s a quiet place, and then if you need help, you can ask for it.

If you’re worried about your grade, try going to office hours and asking your professor for help. Professors like students who take initiative and show up to office hours.

Never pull an all-nighter. Even if you manage to stay awake during the exam, your memory will be impaired due to sleep deprivation. Students who pull all-nighters get worse grades,[7] X Research source and students who get enough sleep before an exam get better scores. [8] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source

Professors like students who show up to office hours. Feel free to go there to ask questions or ask for help.

Library science is more than organizing books. Librarians learn a little bit about all kinds of different subjects, enough so that they can usually understand the basics of your project and point you to what you need.

If someone won’t stop pressuring you, say “back off” and head towards a public place where there are witnesses. Make a scene (shouting, crying) if you need to. They’re less likely to keep bothering you if everyone will see what they’re doing.

Even taking a drug one time can start years of addiction and health problems.

Alcohol in your system can worsen potential injuries. Getting into an accident is always bad, but it can be even more devastating or lethal if you’re drunk.

Drink one glass of water in between each serving of alcohol. This helps you avoid a hangover due to dehydration. Don’t push your limits. Blacking out drunk is dangerous, especially if you’re around people you don’t know well, because they may hurt you. Know how much is too much for you, and stay safe. Try sending yourself a text for each new glass of alcohol, so it’s easy to track how much you’ve had. Get emergency medical attention if someone passes out drunk. They may look like they are sleeping, but they could be dying. Call an ambulance or drive them to the emergency room.

Use more than one method of birth control, in case one of them fails. For example, using both a condom and the birth control is much safer than only using either one. Pulling out does not count as birth control. Don’t trust anyone who refuses to use your desired birth control method, or refuses to get tested for STIs before having sex with you.

Ask someone if they want to have sex before you initiate with it. Then, listen. Yes means yes. No means no. “I’m not sure” or anything unclear means not now. Never try to turn a “no” or “I don’t know” into a yes. Wearing someone down is not the same as getting consent. Get help if someone tries to pressure you into sex or doesn’t take your “no” seriously. That’s creepy and wrong. Your school has resources to help you deal with this.

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