When you head off to college, you’re entering an entirely new passage in life. For most, it means going from living in your parents’ home to living on your own for the first time, even if it’s in a dorm. You’re probably enjoying a level of independence you’ve never had before. This is all an entirely new experience, so it’s normal to not know what to expect and to make mistakes. However, the dos and don’ts below can help you avoid some of those mistakes and make the best of the years ahead.
Do Search for Scholarships
College is expensive. Most take out loans to help them afford it, but you should also be looking into scholarships. Too often, people don’t bother applying for scholarships because they assume that they won’t be eligible, but you may be surprised at what is out there. Some scholarships have very narrow parameters that you might just qualify for. You don’t have to be the best student in your school to get scholarship money, which you’ll learn if you go online to search and apply for them. There are Going Merry scholarships for college students that are among the many opportunities that you can read more about.
Don’t Forget to Socialize
Whether you’re going to school far from home or you’re at a college nearby with a bunch of your high school buddies, make an effort to get out and meet people. Your classes are important, but so is your social development, getting to know new people and even learning to network. Say yes to invitations and try to spend time with others who are perhaps different from the people you grew up around. You can learn a lot from the different perspectives you encounter even if you ultimately decide that there really is no place like home and the friends from there.
Do Take Part in Extracurricular Activities
There are so many opportunities on campus to get involved with different activities. This can be a great time to try some things that may have interested you but you didn’t have anyone to get started with, from hiking to board games to political activism and more. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can, at best, help you discover something new that you love and, at worst, will give you a chance to experience an activity you haven’t tried before, and learn something from it even if you ultimately decide it isn’t for you.
Don’t Neglect Academics
With all of the above success tips in mind, you do need to make sure that you don’t have so much fun that you end up neglecting your studies. It’s not uncommon for people to have a rude awakening at the end of the first semester when they realize that sleeping all day instead of going to class isn’t actually sustainable. You need to learn balance everything else that’s going on with academics, and when push comes to shove, you’ll need to prioritize. That won’t always mean that academics will win, but most of the time, it should.
Do Take Advantage of Office Hours
You may notice that every syllabus you’re given has your professor’s office hours printed on it. This is supposed to be a time you can turn up and talk to your instructor about any problems you’re having with the material in class or ask any related questions about the curriculum. However, students often feel too intimidated to take advantage of this opportunity. Doing so can be a great way to get a better grasp of the material you’re studying and to start building a connection with your professor as well. This can be helpful later if you’re looking for recommendations.
