Freshman year of college is such an important stepping stone in our lives. For most of us, it’s our first true taste of independence, where we’re suddenly in charge of our own schedules and our own destiny. While this newfound independence is exciting, it can also be quite overwhelming to manage all of these new expectations and responsibilities. This blog post outlines some key tips to help you start your college experience off on the right foot.
During orientation and the first few weeks of the year, there are likely to be many informational sessions about various aspects of campus life, from academic support to joining clubs and organizations. While you might be tempted to skip these sessions in favor of spending time with your new friends or setting up your dorm room, going to these sessions is extremely valuable in setting your year up right. These sessions will provide you with valuable information that will be difficult to access later, and ensuring that you’re aware of all of the opportunities available to you is essential in making the right choices during your freshman year. During these sessions, don’t be afraid to ask questions and get the information you need to set yourself up for success.
Being a college student puts you much more in control of your schedule than you were in high school. You get to choose your classes and sometimes even have a choice over what time your class meets. Once you build out your schedule, you’ll notice that your actual class time takes up about half of the time your high school classes did. The rest of the time is yours, leaving time for studying and completing work, working, participating in clubs and organizations, spending time with friends, and rest. Because it’s up to you to make time for all of these different things, setting up a calendar is the best way to keep track of everything you have going on. A whiteboard calendar in your dorm room can help you keep track of specific dates and events coming up. A digital calendar or a planner is extremely useful for managing your daily schedule as well as assignments and other tasks.
In college, the expectations of work done outside of class is much higher than in high school. With so much free time, it’s easy to feel like you’ll get to all of your work, but it’s just as easy for time to get away from you with friends, clubs, and other commitments. For this reason, it’s essential to block off study time in your calendar each day. I recommend holding this time sacred and refusing plans that take place during your study time. However, when something does come up, be sure to look at your calendar and move your study time to a different time to ensure your studying still gets done. When you block off specific time in your schedule to study, it will help you avoid feelings of overwhelm when your work starts to pile up and ensure that everything gets done.
A well-organized room is a key factor in feeling in control of your studies and your life. If you are living in a dorm and sharing a space with someone else, organization can sometimes be more difficult. However, it’s important to take steps to make sure all of your spaces are organized. Invest in specific bins to keep like items together and make the most of your small space. Labels can also be very helpful in easily finding your items amongst different bins or baskets. When working with a small space, it’s extremely easy for it to get disorganized and feel overwhelming, and creating a strong organizational system from the beginning is the best way to set your year up for success.
In college, you will have many different options to choose from when it comes to study locations. It’s important to scope them all out and determine which ones will work best for you. Take stock of your school’s library, which likely has designated talking and quiet areas. If you need total silence when focusing, your library’s quiet area might be the best spot. If you prefer a bit of background noise, you may find that a coffee shop or the student union is a better option. It’s also essential to set up a productive workspace in your dorm room, making sure your desk is free of clutter and ready to be used. You might also consider having headphones nearby, in case you find yourself studying with your roommate present. Scoping out the best places for your study style is a great way to make sure you make the most of your study sessions from the start.
It is much more difficult to get to know your professor in college than your teachers in high school. Without effort on the student’s part, a relationship is unlikely to happen. Getting to know your professors is so important because it will open up a line of communication if you need help or have questions about the content. As your college career goes on, knowing your professors is also extremely helpful in getting recommendations for jobs and internships and getting into the classes you want when they have waitlists. The easiest way to build this relationship is to go to your professors’ office hours. Visit early just to introduce yourself and let them know that you’re looking forward to their class. As the semester goes on, it’s a good idea to visit periodically, preparing a few questions that you can ask them ahead of time. Attending professors’ office hours takes 30 minutes out of your day, but will make a world of difference.
Adjusting to college life is hard for everyone, but it can be especially difficult on students with ADHD. For students who need help managing their schedules, their workload, and general school overwhelm, YA Success Coach is there to help. We help college students develop the skills they need to take control of their lives and build the futures they want. Contact us today to learn more about how success coaching can help you.
Having a conversation is the first step to helping your child realize their full potential and set them up for success!