3 Things I wish I knew before starting college…
Happy back-to-school season! I used to love shopping for new folders and color coding my schedule — yes, I’m that type of person.
Now that I’m 3 years out of college, I think about all the things I wish someone told me or the things I wish I knew before starting college. So, here I am sharing them with you. I hope you find some value in them!
Get ahead during syllabus week!
This is so important because the semester typically starts off slow and then it jumps into hyper-speed in week three or four and then you get behind. If you get ahead by a week or so in your class materials it sets you up so much better. That way if you slack off a day or two you aren’t frantically trying to catch up. Just stay a little bit ahead and it’ll make all the difference, I promise!
2. Join clubs or extracurriculars
I wish I had joined more clubs, now that I look back. I was involved in a few cool things, but the moment I joined a club (even though I nearly had a panic attack before going into the room) I met one of my best friends there. Go walk around at the involvement fair and pick up flyers for all the things that sound interesting. Talk to people about what they’ve gotten out of being in that club and then choose one. Heck, choose more than one! It’s a great way to meet new people, learn new things, and really enjoy yourself.
3. You need to exercise
Exercise doesn’t mean walking to class across campus then walking back only to lay in bed (though I’m a total hypocrite because I did that a lot). But it’s crucial to find some way to exercise while your at college, whether that’s going for long walks, hitting up the rec center, or signing up to play intermural sports. Once you get to college everything is a little different. You get to eat whatever you want, whenever you want. You don’t really have a set schedule or rules, so it’s really easy to fall into unhealthy or lazy habits. Just make sure to get outside and exercise whenever you can. And if you feel down in the dumps, go for a walk, it almost always helps.
I wish all of you the best of luck as you start your college journey! Remember, stay ahead, stay social, and stay active and everything should turn out okay. And have fun with it!
