By Jasmine Pancheco
The change from high school to college may seem like a drastic and nerve-racking process. However, there are a variety of ways to adapt to college life with ease and composure.
For some students, the process of becoming a college freshman can be one of the most difficult transitions especially if one is unprepared. For those who are stressing over this, there are helpful ways to prepare before starting those first classes.
Attending a college or university usually aims to offer a sense of newfound independence that students did not previously have during their high school years. Additionally, balancing social and academic expectations can be quite a challenge as many students find their daily tasks and plans colliding with one another resulting in a disruption of their day. To prevent this, investing in planners or even updating one’s calendar app can be an easy fix to avoid these unfortunate situations as it maintains a student on track and provides a sense of balance to their already busy day. “As a college student I maintain my schedule by writing down the due dates for my assignments at the beginning of the week so I know when everything is due and I can plan out my work for the week,” commented Taylor Bonazelli a sophomore attending University of Central Florida.
Reaching out for academic help in the early stages of attending classes is a major point in preventing the possibility of getting held back in assignments or lectures. Nearly all universities provide offices which offer assistance needed to students. Since most professors don’t have time to speak to each individual student, this is a student’s best option, and they should take advantage of it. “My university provides me with access to a tutor if I am ever stuck on trying to understand a lesson or assignment and if someone ever needs to they can also just ask students that sit around them in class and they will most likely help them if they ask,” mentioned Nick Bucci from Florida Atlantic University.
With multiple classes, social activities, and finding time for work and friends, a student may quickly begin to feel stressed and anxious. But, there are ways to ease these tensions as well. Nerves can be decreased by exercising and eating healthy on a weekly basis such as simply going on a jog with friends or even a walk through their campus. Another way to stay mentally healthy is finding time for oneself, this can be accomplished in a variety of small but impactful ways such as finding time to read an interesting book or calling family to tell each other about their day. Bonazelli added, “My tips to incoming college freshman would be, don’t stress out about your major or your future so much during your first year because no one really knows what they want to do yet, and there are so many other people still trying to figure it out.”
A key to being mentally relaxed and not overwhelmed would be having a clean and calming room to sleep and work in. Organization plays a crucial role in this because it not only reduces stress levels, but it also helps a student save time, become more productive, and enjoy a pristine environment to rest in both physically and mentally while taking a break from daily activities. Most student agree that living in an apartment rather than in a dorm room gives them a feeling of relief since it provides them with some distance from their school and maintains a calm environment to work in and live in full time. “Having a dorm room is helpful since it gives me a space where I can concentrate on my school work when I’m not at work or hanging out with friends. I would definitely prefer living in an apartment with roommates than in a dorm room since it would give me a greater sense of independence without having to worry about following the typical college rules,” stated Max Myers a freshman at the University of North Florida.
Even though they may not get the best reputation, a dorm room is where a student will be spending most of their time for the rest of their school year and should be shaped into an uplifting space. Dorm rooms are usually an overwhelming subject for freshman as they tend to be small with just enough room to fit a couple of twin beds and a few small pieces of furniture. Regardless, there are still ways to make it feel like one’s familiar bedroom. This could be achieved by decorating with comforting items such as family pictures, childhood posters, fun color changing lights, and soothing candle scents or air fresheners. “I agree that decorating my dorm room helped make it feel like a comfortable space. Making sure to have a clean room and making my bed every morning also helps since it gives me a clean and fresh start to my busy day,” remarked Jeremiah Pacheco a freshman attending Florida Atlantic University.
With preparation and confidence in oneself, beginning freshman year of college will be an unforgettable experience and may even make one wonder why they worried so much to begin with.
