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Some Do’s And Don’ts For Starting College

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Saint Mary's chapter.

Some Do’s and Don’ts for Starting College

This is your typical “I wish my freshman-year self knew this” post coming from an “I’m-not-admitting-I’m-an-‘s-word.’”  It doesn’t hurt, though, to give out some pointers that I think first-years can utilize.

·       Do:  bring pictures, other memories, and maybe a few stuffed friends from home for a comfortable atmosphere.  Ease into the transition of being away from home by having a few things that mean a lot to you.  Pictures with friends, posters of your favorite actors/musicians/athletes/whoever else, decorations, etc. are important in expressing your personality in a creative way. 

·       Don’t:  bring your entire room from home, especially a stuffed zoo.  You shouldn’t be like that incoming freshman from Pitch Perfect that brings a large box filled with stuffed animals that she most likely won from multiple carnivals.  That’s a lot to handle in a semi-small room… Please don’t do that.

·       Do:  get to know your hall mates.  I’m not saying you have to be super-duper best friends with them right away, but make sure you check in with each other every once in a while!  “Hi, how are you?” goes a much longer way to get to know them, considering that you’ll live with/near them for a whole year.  And if you do become great friends with them, that’s even better!

·       Don’t:  completely ignore/be incredibly rude your hall mates.  It’s also OK that you’re not close with them or choose not to be friends—that’s college!  However, it’s also very important that you be civil with them if you’re not getting along.  It’s fine to disagree, but remember to maintain respect between one another.  Respect > any topic of conversation.

·       Do:  maintain a healthy balance between your social and academic atmospheres.  It’s crucial to have friendships and other kinds of relationships throughout your first year of college.  Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, developing your social skills is key to having a successful first year.  HOWEVER (and this is REALLY important), you need to primarily focus on your academics.  You’re coming to Saint Mary’s for an amazing education, so take as much advantage of that while you can during the first year.  When finals come, don’t forget your coffee because you’ll need it!  You can tell how thrilled I was that finals were around the corner when we went…

·       Don’t:  have an unbalanced social or academic life.  You shouldn’t go out every single night partying/staying out until the wee hours of the morning, nor should you be a hermit in the library/preferred study location 24/7.  It’s important to have both, but PLEASE, don’t put all your eggs in one basket for either aspect.  Focus on exams, homework, and other school-related assignments during the week, then go out and have fun during the weekends.

·       Do:  expand your comfort zone and try/see new things.  If you’re a sports fan (like me), go support your fellow Belles in their games—volleyball, basketball, soccer, softball, and lacrosse.  Notre Dame has even more sports to watch!  And the best part for SMC and ND?  IT’S FREE FOR STUDENTS (except football and men’s basketball).  Perfect for a college-kid budget, and they offer free food, shirts, and other memorabilia most of the time.  FREE + FREE = SWEET FREEDOM!  And if you like the arts or anything outside of sports, then there are opportunities in the downtown area with performances and other shows.  Sign up for clubs/intramurals that you’re interested in learning and actually can see yourself attending!  You never know who you may meet—it could be some of the cast from the Buried Life (Duncan and Dave, please come back).

·       Don’t:  do something that you’re definitely not comfortable with.  If you know for a fact that you would not enjoy something, then don’t sign up/participate!  You know yourself the best, so stick with what you like the most.  Don’t allow anyone to tell you otherwise, and it’s ok to say “no.”  You’ll learn that once you get into the swing of things!  But seriously, take advantage of the free stuff.  

·       Do:  travel.  And by that, I mean going to a different place other than home.  Whether it’s your roommate’s hometown or your thousandth trip to Chicago, sometimes escaping the bubble at SMC is essential for a mental break.  The idea of exploring an area that you or someone else may not know is pretty exciting.  Go somewhere different during the fall/winter/spring breaks if you’d like with your family and/or friends.  The important thing is to be as safe as you can while traveling, whether flying or driving.  Be cautious and defensive, but have fun (sorry if I sound like a concerned parent right now, but you watch the news)!

·       Don’t:  stay solitary every minute of every day.  If you stay cooped up in your bedroom, classroom, or any other place with 4 bland walls, you’ll lose your mind!  (Trust me, I’ve been there).  If you have friends with cars, or if you have your car, take a quick trip to Target, the movies, or anywhere else within the school’s vicinity to get off campus for a little bit.  A little bit goes a long way, I promise!

·       Do:  utilize your professor’s office hours.  I seriously wish I would’ve taken advantage of this more often my first year.  If you’re definitely struggling with a certain class and need help understanding a specific concept, go talk to your professor!  Not only will they help you, but they’ll make sure that you know and understand the concept when you leave that door.  You’ll also develop a professional relationship with them, and they get to know you better as a student at Saint Mary’s—it’s a win-win situation!  Even if you’re not having trouble in a class, you should still get to know your professor.  That’s my favorite thing about Saint Mary’s—they get to know YOU for YOU, and you get to know THEM for THEM.

·       Don’t:  believe that professors are out to get you.  Their job is to help you succeed, not make you fail.  Will exams be difficult and stress you out?  Absolutely.  Will you question why they make those exams difficult and stressful?  Pretty much every time.  Will you learn something from them that’s more valuable than memorizing words from your notes?  YES YES YES.  They’re challenging you because they believe in you and want you to succeed.  Don’t be afraid to fail because sometimes that’s how you learn best.  They’re there to catch you when you fall, and push you up higher than you previously thought before.  TRUST ME ON THIS ONE, SERIOUSLY.

·       Do:  go to Late Night Breakfast.  It’s one of the best traditions that Saint Mary’s has to offer.  And the professors serve you food as a “payback” for you enduring their tough classes.  It’s fantastic and hilarious.  Your snapchat stories will be quite entertaining with our renditions to Beyoncé’s “Love on Top.” #LNB2K12

·       Don’t:  skip Late Night Breakfast.  You just don’t.  

·       Do:  be yourself.  As concession-stand-nacho-cheesy as this one sounds, you know your personality best.  It’s going to grow and change throughout your 4 years in college.  The important thing to know is to stay true to yourself.  Say no to things that you know you’re uncomfortable with and yes to those that you’re willing to try and enjoy.  Expand your interests academically and challenge your ideas because you’ll never know what you’ll learn.  Make honest and good friendships with those that will last for a very long time.  Highlight your assets, but don’t shy away from your flaws either—people will accept them, I assure you.  The first year is challenging, but SO worth enduring.

·       Don’t:  try to please others.  Yes, you want to make as many friends as you can and know your class.  However, don’t change your standards in order to make others happy.  Make yourself happy.  Layering on with gouda to the already-existing-concession-stand-nacho-cheese, hold yourself to a high value of worth—self-worth.  There’s a huge difference between settling and compromising.  Don’t settle for anyone or anything that goes against your morals/values/beliefs—stand up for yourself and stay firm with it.  You’ll earn respect (even though it should already be present), so hang onto it.  Most importantly, have fun!

Photos provided by author

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E-mail hannahdrinkall@hercampus.com or thereseburke@hercampus.com for inquiries!

I'm a senior Saint Mary's College from Hammond, IN that's an avid sports fan and a self-certified Netflix enthusiast ;) I'm majoring in Biology with a double minor in Philosophy and Gender & Women's Studies. I love meeting new people and making others laugh, which I hope to do so when I write for Her Campus SMC :)
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Therese Burke

Saint Mary's