Starting your first year of college can be quite frightening. The choices you make here can affect your future and you have no idea what to do. You're all alone in an unfamiliar place with a bunch of strangers. I remember moving all of my things in my dorm and watching my mom and sister drive away leaving me alone in my big dorm with three strangers. That was the first time I've ever been alone. As someone who has been through four and a half years of college, I can rightfully say that you'll be okay. It is in no way easy your first year, but it'll be the best years of your life if you just go along for the ride.
get to know people
I'm an introvert. If I had to choose between going out with friends or staying home and playing The Sims for 5 hours, I would gladly choose the latter. I wasn't always as introverted as I am now. My junior/ senior year of high school and freshman year of college I was actually quite extroverted. I loved socializing and spending every night at clubs and parties. Since I was an extrovert, I made a bunch of friends from class and from the parties I went to. I even joined a club promotion team my first year. I'm really not sure when I became such an introvert. Guess it just happens with time.
I suggest getting to know the people in your classes before anything else. If you happen to meet an upperclassman, that is extremely beneficial as they have already been a freshman and can help you with any questions you may have. Also, get to know your roommates and the people on your hall. I signed up for a Freshman Learning Community at Georgia State which turned out to be an awesome advantage. An FLC is a group where you take classes with other students of similar interests and majors. All of our classes were pre-planned and we all lived on the same dorm floor. Luckily, they turned out to be great people whom I have made great friends with till this day.
club the right way
The first two years of college I flew solo. I didn't realize the importance of joining a club until my junior year when I got further in my marketing classes. Eventually, I joined the American Marketing Association Georgia State and Atlanta chapter and became the VP of Membership. Every year, AMA Atlanta holds a collegiate conference and job fair. Through the conference, I landed my second internship which is the company I work for now. If you're majoring in marketing or advertising, I highly suggest you join at the collegiate level.
Joining clubs are a great way to meet friends. Networking is crucial in college because you have the opportunity to meet people who work in the industry you're interested in. Those people can introduce you to other people in your industry. Say, for example, you want to work for an advertising agency. At a recent networking event, you met someone who works for that company and you became good acquaintances. If you see an opening at that agency, you now have leverage over other entry-level applicants because that acquaintance can introduce you to the hiring manager or your future boss. Finding a job is all about who you know. When you join a club, make sure you find them on
ask for help
Asking for help is hard for me. I don't like showing that I don't know what to do. You can't afford to do that in college. If you need help, ask for it. Ask your teacher, ask your peers, ask for a tutor. Utilize all of your resources. Asking for help will prevent you from losing your scholarships and dropping your GPA. Teachers will respect you more when you take the initiative to do better in their class.
study party > party party
Studying by myself is awesome, but it's great to get help with friends. I could probably count on one hand the amount of times where I knew all of the answers on a study guide. I might not have known the answers, but my friends sure did. I had the luxury of having all of my friends from my classes on the same floor my freshman year. But don't worry, grab your classmates numbers and meet up in the library. It's easy. Also, I used KakaoTalk and GroupMe to communicate with my classmates. Group texts don't work on all devices and these free options were the best.
organize
One of my favorite things to do is organize. My notes were so detailed, everyone wanted a copy. I had them organized in a way that I enjoyed and understood. I used different binder and notebooks for every class. I sectioned off time in my day to study for a specific class. When you organize your time, you can get the most done. Don't try to multitask. You'll eventually waste more time.
try something new
I found this to be the most important factor in making the most out of your first year of college. Everything is new during college. If you discover a hobby you enjoy, blogging was one of mine, just do it. It wouldn't hurt. I started blogging on Tumblr and went on to a standalone blog after I realized how much I enjoyed it. I also started scrapbooking, baking, and card making. Til this day, I regret not starting this blog and YouTube channel sooner. If you want to do something, just do it. Do what you love!
manage your social media
Be mindful of what you're posting on Instagram and Twitter. That doesn't mean you can't have fun and post pictures online. It just means that those pictures of you wasted at that frat party wouldn't be a great representation of your gorgeous personality or level of responsibility to a hiring manager. Every image you upload is stored in a server somewhere in Texas. Your pictures are out there other people to grab at their leisure. You can still upload pictures of your friends at the events you go to, just make sure you are sober and everyone is decent. Also, be mindful of what you're posting with words. It's hard to pick up sarcasm through text. Some people can take your joke or comment the wrong way. You never know what could happen.
use the buddy system
Georgia State is in the middle of downtown Atlanta. Going anywhere without a friend is unsafe for both gals and guys. Don't risk it. If you're going out at night, call the school security to take you where you need to go. It should be free and it's the best option for any school campus.
don't drink at an unfamiliar place, don't drink and drive, don't drink and leave your cup
I've been a freshman before. I'm not going to pretend like since you're 18 or 19, you're not going to drink. I know how cool it is to drink in a public space. If you are going to drink, be careful. Roofies and other date-rape drugs are very dangerous. Always take your cup with you and never let someone you're not extremely close with. This is when going places with your buddy is helpful.
Hopefully, this helps you as you begin your new journey. If you have any questions or want me to create a new post to explain a topic further, let me know in the comments below. Have a great first year! Remember, you got this!
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