So now that you’ve finally scored your high school diploma and are about to take off for college, do you really know what it takes to survive your first year at the university? Whether you’re excited about your first foray into self-reliance and independence, or dreading the day when you’d move into a campus dorm and share your private space with a complete stranger, university life is more than what meets the eye. This first year college guide is aimed at helping you, the college freshman, experience a smoother transition from the laid-back days of high school to the challenging but nevertheless exciting jungle that is college life.

Common misconceptions about university life

Before you can truly prepare for college, learning how to separate the real scores from a few misconceptions is very important. After all, how many times have you been told that college life is one great party? How many times have you seen movies depicting university life as the best time to simply have fun, choose the best sororities and fraternities, and actually forget your homework and GPAs? Countless, perhaps!

While it’s easy to be blown away by all your grand expectations about your college years, there are a few things you need to remember while studying in the college or university of your choice. Life on campus is different from your life at home, and although you will have more time for exploration and socializing, your academics should still be on top of your list.

The real college scenario

Contrary to sugar-coated tales about college being a grand carnival, college life actually means serious business. This does not mean, however, that you will end up having no fun during your entire stay on campus. The most important ability to have when trying to weather your college experience is balance. Staying focused on your academic goals while learning to have fun on the side will allow you to get the best out of your college years. Of course, you would still want to look back at some fun, happy, gratifying times in college once you venture out into the real world and join the ranks of job-hunting graduates.

Setting reasonable expectations

It is important to set reasonable expectations starting from day one, so you don’t end up feeling disappointed or overwhelmed. You may think that your teachers will be less strict now that you’re in college, or it’s perfectly okay to switch majors more than once during the course of your stay in the university. Some of you may be led to believe that living in a dorm room is like living in a posh apartment or that the cafeteria will always serve the best gourmet dishes. As much as college should be a fun time for everyone, it is also a time for serious learning, a time when you need to rely on yourself, without having to completely exclude others. Having the right attitude and setting reasonable expectations will help you weather the challenges of your college freshman year and the subsequent years to come.

Preparing for your first year in college

College will be a different experience for everyone. However, there are a few things you can know and do before entering into college, so that you will be better prepared for the experience. With the right attitude and by making smart choices, there is no reason why college should not be the best time of your student life. Here are some useful tips for incoming college freshmen:

– Choose colleges or universities you are interested in as early as your senior year in high school. This will allow you to review the requirements from each school as early as possible, thereby maximizing your chances of getting in.

– Attend orientations and campus tours. These will help you get a feel for the place, help you get around campus much easier, which will essentially be your “home away from home” for the next four years or so.

– Attend your classes. It’s fairly easy for students to assume that college is nothing but a stroll in the park, especially since class schedules are less stringent compared to high school. But when you start skipping classes, serious problems can crop up. College is about furthering your education more than anything else.

– Be prepared to be more self-reliant. This time, there will be no one to cook for you, no one to do your laundry, or no one to fix your bed when you don’t feel like doing it. If you’ve been pampered at home, that’s fine. However, all the comforts of home won’t be available on college campus, and this time, it will all be about self-reliance.

– Be organized. Whether it’s in your dorm room, with your study notes, with your assignments and projects, or with your class schedules, organization is very useful when you’re trying to focus. A good planner will help you organize everything according to schedule.

– Seek out new connections and attend social activities. It’s easy to be intimidated by almost everyone during your first few months on campus. However, you first year in college is the perfect time for you to start honing your social skills and establish new connections. Go out and get noticed.

What you can expect after your first year

Once you’ve already learned what balance, focus, and organization are all about during your freshman year, it will be fairly easy for you to apply these practices on your succeeding years in college. After your first year, you will have more difficult subjects, more demanding teachers, and fuller schedules. By this time, you will also have to start looking for apprenticeships and start building networks both with senior students and alumni.

There is no reason for you to be intimidated by university life; however, you need to understand that college is also about responsibilities. By learning how to separate misconceptions from the real scores and by setting the right expectations, there is no reason why you should not breeze through your freshman year. By all means, attend all your classes, befriend your professors, and establish connections with classmates and fellow students. If you’re bored hitting the books, don’t forget to have a little fun. Many students have gotten the best out of their college years, and there is no reason why you should not do so!

Photo Credits: Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch, Steven S., Daehyun Park