Whether you’re a first year or a senior, you are bound to face many changes – both big and small – as you go through your college career. There are several pros and cons surrounding the novelty of the college experience. No matter what, it is important to be mindful about reacting to the changes that come your way.
Here are some tips for the most common changes that a collegiette is likely to go through!
1.Lack of privacy and alone time.
The biggest change people face while entering college is the lack of alone time. Students go from typically living in the comfort of their own rooms by themselves to sharing a dorm or apartment with a roommate or several others. Sometimes, the stress of always being surrounded by others is overwhelming and we crave time to ourselves to clear our heads.
The best way to cope with this issue is to make time to be alone at some point in the day and enjoy the beautiful UCSB campus – whether this means waking up early and walking to the beach to see the sunrise, or taking a break between classes and heading to campus point to get a few moments of silence to ourselves, it is amazing how a quick break can refresh us emotionally.
2.Maintaining friendships and relationships.
At the end of the summer, when it comes time for everyone to leave and go their separate ways, your friends may promise to keep in touch and talk to you everyday. However, a week into college, you may realize that you haven’t heard from anyone back home other than your parents and begin to feel extremely frustrated. In college, everyone is on a different schedule and though idealistically you and your friends would speak everyday, you soon realize this might not be possible.
Instead of trying to fit in short, forced conversations daily, make an agreement with your parents, friends, or significant others to set aside a good amount of time when you are both free, even if this is just once a week, to catch up, talk on the phone, or Skype. In maintaining friendships and relationships where distance is a factor, always remember that quality trumps quantity in terms of conversations.
3.Sticking to a balanced diet.
The infamous freshman 15 is something that most college students dread. With an abundance of food readily at our disposal, it is easy to fall into temptation and eat food simply because it is available. Gaining weight is also a large possibility because of the fact that fast food and dining commons food tends to lack the nutritive value of a home cooked meal.
When choosing meals, it is important to eat in moderation and to make healthy, nutritious choices. However, remember to treat yourself every now and then to that extra scoop of ice cream at DLG or a plate of nachos at Freebirds!
In addition, it’s great to look beyond a healthy diet and pursue an all together healthier lifestyle. With UCSB’s amazing Rec Cen, it’s easy to stay in shape, even if that means just squeezing in a quick fifteen minute workout after class or taking one of the yoga or Pilates classes offered on campus.
4.Keeping up those grades!
Adjusting to academics in college is a common struggle for many students. Many people find themselves going from the top of their classes to struggling to keep up with a college workload.
Luckily at UCSB, we are provided with many resources to help make the transition process easier. From office hours with TA’s, to drop in math labs, to CLAS, extra help exists outside of the classroom for students who seek it.
Peers and friends can also be great resources! A task as mundane as studying can be turned into something enjoyable – just gather a group of friends, get a little competitive, and challenge and test each other on the material you need to know. Study groups, as long as they remain orderly for the most part, are a great way to be productive while having fun.
Always remember that you are not alone in your academic pursuits and that help is available no matter how far along you are in your college career.