Ten Tips For Incoming College Freshman

A whopping ten whole tips for incoming college freshman.

1. Eat Healthy

The lack of healthy eating habits would have an effect on both your immediate and long term health. Not eating healthy can increase your chances of medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

2. Reduce the Inevitable Stress

Throughout the semester you will be subject to an immense amount of stress. One of the better ways to help reduce stress is to exercise frequently. Other ways to reduce stress is to meditate, relax, listen to music, or take a nap.

3. Don't Skip Class

While skipping class can be very appealing and tempting, it wouldn't really be good for your grades. You might miss something important in the class that you would need to know later. Attending class may also inform you of certain things in the curriculum that you don’t need to know for an upcoming exam or assignment. This would save you time and help you focus more on the things you do need to know.

4. Study!

A lot of things can get in between you and studying every single day. Procrastination is the #1 enemy of students when exam time comes. Avoid procrastinating as much as possible to help you crack open a textbook (or notes) to get to studying. SI sessions and group studying help as well!

5. Get Some Sleep

Regardless of how little time you have to study between now and an exam, sleep is key to help you be aware of and recollect everything you studied for the exam. A lack of REM sleep can reduce your ability to remember things no matter how much you study them. Be sure to always get at the very least 7 hours of sleep every night. More than that helps as well.

6. Avoid Procrastination

Like the tip about studying, procrastination can get in the way between you and completing the things you need to do. One of the biggest procrastinating inducing devices is the smartphone. One way to help prevent procrastination is to turn off the phone.

7. Take Advantage of the Resources You Pay for

You end up paying an arm and a leg in order for you to be able to attend the classes you need to graduate. But you don't just pay for your classes exclusively. A portion of your tuition goes towards services that you can use to help you succeed in your classes. I would be in your best interest to use these tools to better your grades.

8. Make Smart Decisions

You will face a number of decisions every day of your life. The decisions you make in one day can effect the rest of your life. Make some smart decisions when thinking about things to do in your day so you can drive safely to where you need to go and not drive into a University Bookstore.

9. Budget the Cash

Look at all the money you don't have! Having a job while attending college full-time can be tough. It gets even worse when you overspend after receiving a paycheck. Learn to budget the things you need and the things you don't need so you can live with food in front of you, gas in the tank, or even a roof over your head.

10. Make a Friend or Two

An effective way to survive these harsh and cold years is to make a friend. There is a fine difference between someone you talk to everyday and someone who legitimately cares about you. Understanding this is crucial. Having a friend will help you cope with the stress of college by seeing that someone else is enduring the same stress that you are. This is an effective way to cope, along with those listed above.