First Year in College

Dorm Life

Your first year of college can feel overwhelming and exciting at the very same time. It’s important to keep a few basics in mind to make your transition to dorm life a great experience. Start with the tips below:

• Be realistic. Don’t expect or assume that your roommate will be your best friend.
• Set Rules. Share your views on all the important issues early on: cleanliness, visitations, music, study time, quiet time, etc. Getting along is often about compromise. When new issues arise, and they will, initiate communication calmly; don’t just ignore the problem and hope it will go away.
• Get out: Never stay confined to just your room and your roommate. Meet new people by joining clubs, signing up for activities, and branching out from your dorm.
• Accept. Expect some occasional loneliness. Homesickness is normal. It takes time to form close friendships so continue to meet new people through clubs and activities. Before long, your college campus will feel like home.
• Seek help.See your Resident Advisor (RA) if you need advice on how to solve a roommate situation or simply need some personal advice on adjusting to college.
• Relax. Remember, just like you, everyone is adjusting to college and dorm life. There will be missteps, but that’s to be expected. It’s all a part of the learning process.

Time Management

One of the biggest changes from high school to college is that there is no one to constantly remind you about your homework and other commitments that are due. It can be especially difficult if, on top of everything else, you’re also juggling a part-time job. You finally have the independence to set your own schedule, but it can be daunting with so much to organize, especially if you’ve never done so before. Here are some tips to keep you on track:

• Keep a calendar. Whether on the computer, your iPhone, or a hard-copy calendar, it is the first step to staying organized. Write down and schedule everything to help keep you on task.
• Establish regular study habits NOW. And stick to them. Going out with your new friends every night of the week when nothing is due may seem okay at first, but chapters that aren’t read early on can overload you in just a few weeks. Learn to balance between social time and study time.
• Set your priorities for each day and plan ahead. If you have a huge research paper due the last week of the semester, work backwards and set deadlines to complete research, a first draft, and the final draft.
• Know your progress. If you are not getting anything accomplished, stop and determine why. Is your study session at the library with your friends more of a social session? Are you too tired from too many hours at your job? Determine the reason -- then come up with a solution to fix it.
• Still need help? Do you find yourself still overwhelmed and falling behind in class despite reducing your social time? Then reach out to a professor or your academic advisor for advice on managing your time and improving your study skills.