By: Tia Muhammad
Fall is here and freshman year is going to be lit! That is, if you prepare well… Find out what you can do to make the most out of your firstyear college experience:
1. Plan, plan, plan!
When it comes to your future, there is much value in planning properly. For college, in particular, the way you layout your schedule, time, and extra-circular activities will be the most important thing you’ll do during your 4-year stint.
Use your freshman year to test out what plan works best for you because time management will either make or break your entire college experience.
2. Schedule a meeting with your advisor
This is very important to do when you first step foot on campus. Find out who your advisor is and schedule a time to meet with them. In most cases, freshmen are required to meet with their advisor to schedule their classes anyway.
However, if you’ve been given the task of choosing and scheduling your classes on your own, take that extra step to still meet with your advisor to ensure that you are taking the correct and best classes for your major.
3. Take as many credits as you can
This is often just an option for freshmen when they first arrive. Advisors know that it will be an initial adjustment for the newbies, so they intentionally advise you to take fewer classes with about 12 credits being the minimum to still be considered full time.
What many freshmen don’t know is the max you can actually take is 18-20 credits if they don’t conflict with your required classes. So, take up those extra credits and take a class you see of interest that may or not be required for your major, even if it’s just to rack up your G.P.A.!
4. Use your food credits wisely
Yes, it may seem like its “free” money that you can use endlessly but be cautious before you use them all up! Food credits can be used for the cafeteria, commons (food court) area, and campus convenience stores–not all of these places cost the same. The cafeteria is of course the everyday low-cost choice, and the commons is more of the pricey weekend option. Choose wisely!
5. Discover different campus organizations
I cannot stress this enough! Discover the numerous options of campus organizations. The people who you’ll meet in these organizations are sure to be friends for life. Whether it’s a modeling troupe or a sorority, make sure to find your place of comfort; it may even help you find your own personal tribe.
6. Apply for on-campus/ work-study jobs early!
I wish I knew this in advance! The earlier you apply, the more likely you’ll get a callback. On-campus/work study jobs may not pay much, but they are much more convenient and fun than working off-campus. You’ll have a chance to work with friends and even get professional experience added on to your resume!
7. Research your major’s projected career path
What may seem like common sense, may not even be a thought to others. Please research your major, people! Fully do an investigation of what job the degree can get you, what fields you can cross over into, and what minors may pair well with that particular major.
Always keep a plan A and B in mind when choosing a major. More than likely what you go for in school is not what you’ll actually end up doing. Make sure to save room for alternative careers and paths that you may take on your personal journey up the career ladder.
8. Work hard, play hard
Parties are going to happen, so HAVE FUN! But just make sure to do it safely and responsibly.
My first year, a professor literally said, “Look around, take in everyone you see here today because more than likely you won’t see them here next year.” And just like that, I saw people drop out like flies, one by one.
Get a head start and make the necessaries preparations to make sure to be one of the ones to make it to the end.
