Lifestyle Opinions

HERE’S WHAT I KNOW

by: Alyssa Velasquez

August 12, 2022

It’s almost time for the Fall semester!

If you are an incoming freshman from High School or you took some gap years off and decided to go college, here’s 5 tips I learned during my first year of college.

NOTE: I currently go to a community college and I am not sure if these tips apply for Universities, but they might be beneficial to you as well.

1. ASK QUESTIONS

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Whether it be your professor, counselor, or any department/program on your school campus, always ask questions to make sure you understand the information given to you.

However, if you don’t feel comfortable asking in-person, there are additional ways to contact your professor/ department via:

• E-mail
• Office Hours
• Zoom
• Phone
• After class
• (All if applicable)

I would encourage you to ask the professor or department directly to clarify any information. It also gives you the opportunity to develop your communication skills.

2. DON’T PROCRASTINATE

Never wait till the last minute to figure out everything you need to have right before school starts. Make sure you TRIPLE check that everything is good to go for the semester.

One of the differences between High School and college is the responsibility of time management the student needs to obtain.

The professors and staff at your campus are more than likely not worrying about your assignments or important documents being turned in because either way, they are getting their paycheck whether you pass the class or not. Since you are now paying for your education, it is your responsibility to have everything in on time.

*The best tip I received for handling my time management is to turn everything in by Friday, so you can have Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday off and stress free about school work.*

I tried this method for my summer math class and I felt a sense of relief when I realized I didn’t have to worry about staying up until midnight trying to finish an assignment I had plenty of time to do throughout the week.

My advice to you is to just try your best to turn in your assignments or applications on time, it makes life so much more easier.

3. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A COUNSELOR/ ACADEMIC ADVISOR

After registering for your fall classes, I recommend to schedule an appointment with your counselor or advisor and going over a student education plan for the semester/s you are attending. This will help you see a potential outline of what classes you need to take to transfer or to earn your certificate/associates.

4. DON’T LET COLLEGE DEFINE YOU! ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

Going into college, I had this big expectation for myself to do exceptionally well and didn’t allow myself to make mistakes.

I was so worried about failing or making mistakes that I didn’t really get to enjoy my first year of the so-called “college experience”.

Allow yourself to make mistakes, it’s natural!

Learn from them and keep moving forward!

I asked my co-worker, Hope Gallardo, 25, who has a Bachelor’s degree in History, an Associates in Communications, and is currently getting her certificate for Cyber Security what she thinks is the best advice to give a freshman in college. ” Don’t try to figure [everything] out straight away and don’t let your mistakes define you!” said Hope.

So, relax, and enjoy the journey to your academic destination.

5. SOCIALIZE

For some, this is an easy task.

But, for others, like me, it could be somewhat a little difficult to be the first to reach out and make friends.

I get it.

New environment.

New people.

Starting all over. It’s scary.

I made a few friends this past year, but I wish I would had been more social.

I encourage you to join a club!

Work at the school.

Or just simply make conversation with the people sitting around you in class.

What’s the worst that can happen? They won’t answer and you just shrug it off and move on!

At least try to make one friend during the Fall semester! Remember, the majority of people are in the same boat as you!

I’m definitely going to take my own advice and be more social this upcoming semester.

CONCLUSION:

I hope these 5 tips helped you in any way.

If you have anymore in-depth questions, leave a comment and I’ll answer to the best of my ability!

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