College has been the easiest transitional moment of my life. I’m organized, relaxed, and 100% ready to handle any challenge that comes my way—said no college student ever. While college is undoubtedly one of the most significant and exciting experiences in any student’s life, nothing about it is easy. From tricky move-ins to navigating relationships (the adult way), from strict professors to unhelpful advisors, from last-minute expenses, and trying to save money, college is full of hardship–and that’s *excluding* academics. As a student going into her junior year of undergraduate, while I don’t know everything, I do know a few things to make your college experience easier and more worthwhile. Here are my seven tips and tricks for a successful semester.
1. Pack ConciselyÂ
The hardest thing about moving to college is that you have to *literally* pack up your life and move it into a cubicle-sized dorm. While I’m not going to tell you what you should and shouldn’t bring, I can tell you the most efficient way to pack. Clothes typically are the hardest part of packing because of the quantity and bulkiness of different seasonal items. I have used both army-sized duffle bags and suitcases; and, suitcases have been by far the most helpful in packing as compact as possible. Since you can only put so many clothes in a suitcase, they have helped me to narrow down the clothes that I might actually wear. When my freshman year concluded, I realized that I had only worn about half of what I brought consistently. The other half consisted of party clothes, sweatpants, and business attire. All of which could only be worn so many times. Using suitcases has helped me to identify the categories of clothes that I will bring to college and how much of what I should bring. On the other hand, if you must bring all your clothes, army-sized duffle bags help with allowing lots of space for items while also being able to squish into cars.
2. Freaks and GeeksÂ
If you did not hear enough about peer pressure during middle school assemblies, just wait until you get to college! As corny as it may seem, peer pressure is very real in college, and who you hang around matters. One of the most difficult decisions a student makes daily is to study or not to study. Many times, this question comes down to what your friends are going to do. If you lean too far into the freaks, you might forget why you came to college in the first place. This could put you off track and affect your academics negatively. If you lean too far into the geeks, you might forget to go out and have fun. College is full of exciting and spontaneous opportunities; keeping your nose in a book might cause you to miss out on some core memories. The key is to find a balance and friends who have similar values of getting things done while also wanting to have a good time.Â
3. Use Your Resources
One of the bright sides of having to pay expensive tuition is that once you get to campus, everything you need to succeed has already been paid for. This doesn’t just mean access to advanced classes and professors. Your tuition gives you access to all of your university’s resources to help students succeed. Most universities offer tutoring services that assist with different subjects. Between writing labs and math labs, there will always be someone there to assist you with anything you might not understand. Next time you have a paper to write, and you are not sure how it sounds, if it could be better, or if you don’t understand the difference between MLA and APA format, take a trip to the writing lab and find someone that can answer all of your questions. Remember, more people care about your degree, not how you got your degree, so don’t feel embarrassed to seek out tutors and additional help.
4. Routines and Staying Organized
One of the most important things I have to offer is the importance of staying as organized as possible in all aspects of life. What I once thought was just a quirk of mine, actually proved to be one of the most important lessons of my college career so far. During my freshman year, I cleaned my dorm all of the time. Between my normal Sunday cleaning routine and my daily tidying up, I could not go without cleaning my room. Even if I was just going to go take a shower, I couldn’t handle coming back to a mess. During my Spring semester midterms, due to the pressure and busyness of my classes, I abandoned my obsessive cleaning habits and left my room alone. The mess and clutter of my room did nothing but enhance the stress and anxiety I had from my classes. After cleaning and properly organizing, I realized I studied more efficiently, got work done faster, and felt more motivated and focused than when surrounded by chaos. I believe any student should apply this logic to all facets of their life, whether it be maintaining an organized space, an organized planner, or an organized schedule. Organization outside of the classroom will cause you to feel more motivated, in control, and concentrated.Â
5. Not in this Economy! Why You Should Shop in Bulk
As a student, one of my least favorite things is last-minute unanticipated expenses. Unfortunately, college is full of these unanticipated expenses. Whether it be a textbook you suddenly need or a meal, the list of unforeseen costs can be endless; and, to make matters worse, everything is so pricey. You can save money, prepare, and prevent last-minute expenses by buying essentials and food items in bulk. Rather than running out of moisturizer or detergent and having to break the bank, buy enough moisturizer and detergent for the semester; that way, you can put your twenty dollars into a better last-minute expense: like a night out with friends or a last-minute subscription to Chegg. Moreover, if you plan to buy groceries throughout the semester, invest in a membership to Costco or Sam’s Club, or shop in traditionally cheaper stores such as Lidl or Aldi.Â
6. The Perks of Being a Student! (Deals, Discounts, and Sympathy)
If you did not understand me the first time, college is full of unanticipated expenses. The good thing about college being expensive is that everyone knows it’s expensive. Many companies have different discounts and deals that fit perfectly into the budget of a college student. For example, rather than pay $7.95 for Hulu and $11.99 for Spotify monthly, check out deals where you can pay for a bundle of the two for $5.99. The bundles and deals for college students are endless. Check out websites such as Student Beans and UNiDays which consistently offer student discounts for various clothing, technology, and essential brands. If you’re shopping in person (or run into an incident of sorts) you can still score some student perks. As previously mentioned, everyone knows college is expensive. As long as you ask, many people will help and negotiate with college students for deals and cheaper prices.
7. Save money, learn to cook (creatively!)
One thing that is widely agreed upon about college is that food is not good. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes the campus cafeterias do their big one, but most of the time, the food is just mediocre. If you are not interested in constantly eating pizza and fries and/or DoorDash is eating away at your bank account, learn to cook! Try to keep your dorm stocked with imperishable items and fresh items that you can prepare for yourself. You can either buy frozen meals to be microwaved or, if your residence hall allows it, invest in an air fryer–anything can be made in an air fryer!
Overall, college is an exciting time in any student’s life. Don’t let common mishaps deter you from living your college years to the fullest. Rather than let the difficulty of college intimidate and push you around, use these tips and tricks to tackle challenges to make your collegiate experience more worthwhile. Good luck!