The transition from high school to college is truly a fun and exciting adventure. However, it can also be a difficult change. Here are some college life hacks to make the transition a little easier.
- Don’t pack your schedule with classes
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One of the nice things about college is you can easily plan your schedule to your liking. Most classes are offered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or Tuesday and Thursday. If possible, try to space out your classes so you have off days that you can dedicate to work and studying. This will also give you some space to breathe in between long lectures.
- Plan everything
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In high school, it was a lot easier to just go with the flow (even with a heavy load of advanced classes.) In college, I’ve come to the point where I write down to-do lists for most things, even if it is just a reminder to do chores around my apartment. This helps to plan your day better and to not feel so overwhelmed with tasks.
- Clean and organize often
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Going to college means a lot of students are away from home for the first time. Now, not only are you balancing a new class load, but taking care of adult things too, such as laundry, cleaning, etc. Your mental health will be improved if you make it a regular commitment to clean and organize your living space, your backpack, and even your computer files!
- Read the textbook and take notes in class
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I know it may seem pointless sometimes, but college really does require a lot of reading. If a professor is textbook-heavy (some aren’t, you’ll eventually learn to gauge which ones are), you can expect there to be test questions straight from the book. Professors value individual learning, so you’ll feel more engaged and ahead of the curve if you make it a point to read the assigned chapters. Even skimming and reading the bold text is better than nothing.
- Remember to take breaks!
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College can be busy, and it’s easy to get burnt out. Don’t forget to take some time to yourself and dedicate specific times to being social (with physical distancing, of course.) Remember, your mental health MATTERS! Watch that Netflix episode, go to that event, and breathe.
While there is a lot more to college than just these five tips, these serve as a great reminder not only to freshmen, but to returning students as well.