Thoughts from a first-year college student on their way to year two.
Recently, I spoke with a group of students who have just completed their first year of college. We discussed their experiences, challenges, and the advice they would give to themselves as they entered for the 1st time. Their stories, which were filed with lessons learned, are shared below.
Who are they, you ask? My students were from a diverse group. Their schools are close to home, two hours away, and one arrived by plane. They enrolled in medium-sized (5K), large (10K), and those with 20+K students. They’re pursuing various academic interests; some are dancing, and others are playing DII, DIII, and club sports. Like you, their diversity is reflected in the experiences they brought to their college.
Things to consider as you embark on this exciting next stage of your education and personal growth. Here are the top 10 comments:
#1. Get out of your dorm. A dorm room is for sleeping, unwinding, and relaxing with friends and roommates. But they ALL wholeheartedly stated that they needed to leave their dorms to study. Find a quiet & calm place to study away from the dorm. Library, tech center, or the academic center.
#2 New friends are not all in the dorm. Outside of your roommate/floor mates and neighbors, all agreed they met more friends outside the residence hall. They joined a club or two, got involved with intramurals, and attended events. One will enter her sophomore year with a new roommate, in a new dorm, after being involved in a civic organization.
#3 College academics— again, a 100% acknowledgement that classes and faculty at the college level were harder than anticipated. Whether high school was a breeze or one spent long hours studying, the first semester was rough. There was a lot of reading and taking notes, and the faculty expected you to do the work, develop good study habits, and stay on top of work. There was no handholding.
#4 Get to the Academic Center early. Two of the rising Sophomores waited until the end of the semester to see out help—not their best move. Collectively, they all mentioned that their expectation of getting A’s, like in high school, became the reality of B’s and C’s. See the faculty during their office hours, and don’t hesitate to sign up for help at the Academic Center. Do not procrastinate.
#5 Lonely 1st week – then it rubs off after getting involved on campus. Everyone was homesick initially, but all acknowledged that they learned they could be independent.
#6 Read your emails—Events, messages from faculty, assignments, deadlines, and more are communicated through emails and the student portal.
#7 Less is More – Everyone agreed; they took too much stuff to campus and sent most of it home.
#8 Be healthy—exercise, eat right, hydrate, get enough sleep, and watch out for free time. Check in at home periodically; they want to know how you are doing.
# 9 Use an Alarm Clock—you can sleep late on weekends. Faculty hate students who come to class late!
# 10 Communicate with Parents—agree on a method (text, email, call) and schedule a time to check in at home periodically; they want to know how you are doing.
Remember, students and families are consumers of a post-secondary education. Advocate for your needs, use your resources on campus and back home, and if need be, text me.