20 More Tips for College

Last week we shared 30 Study Tips for Success in College. This week we wanted to share some more tips that we have for those who are just starting college. We are discussing advice for your social life, what to wear, and living in a dorm room.

Social Life

1. Make an effort to meet people when you first get to college. Yes, things might be awkward at first, but things are awkward for everyone. Just talk to people, and you can all be awkward together. You will eventually find those special people who will become your friends.

2. You don't have to drink and party if you don't want to. Not everyone does. Trust us, our school was ranked the #2 party school in the U.S. during part of the time we were there, and it was never an issue.

3. Having a bunch of girls over to watch 27 Dresses and eats lots of ice cream totally counts as being social.

4. Check out the organizations on campus. Getting involved in activities is a great way to meet people.

5. But, make sure you don't overload yourself with activities. It is ok to say no to some things. In fact, you will have to say no to some things.

6. Read your school's newspaper to find out about events that are going on.

7. Athletic events are worth checking out with friends. Try to attend some of the sporting events that don't get as much attention. You might be surprised by how much fun you have sitting on a blanket cheering for your school to win some sport you've never watched before.

8. Make a point of finding a support system like a campus ministry, church, or other group.

9. Some of the friends you make freshmen year won't be your friends later in college because you will all be growing so quickly into different people. But some of your freshmen friends will stay your best friends throughout college and later in life. It all evens out.

10.Don't worry if it takes time to make really close friends. Keep trying. Those people are worth it, and you will find them.

Wardrobe

11. Do not buy many new clothes before you start your first semester at college. Once you're there, you will be able to see what people wear at your school, and you will have time to decide what clothes you want to buy.

12. In regards to the advice above, please remember that you do not have to look like everyone else. No one pays nearly as much attention to fitting in as they did in high school which is a good thing.

13. Your shoes must be comfortable. Chances are you will be walking around a lot from class to class. So, regardless of how cute a pair of shoes might be, if they are not comfortable enough to last through an entire day  of running around campus, you should not wear them.

14. No pajamas. Ever. If you know that you will not wake up in time to change out of what you slept in, then sleep in sweatpants or yoga pants. Those options are not incredibly put together, but they are more acceptable than pajamas.

15. Keep a small trashbag inside your backpack. If it suddenly starts to pour down raining, wrap the bag around the books that are inside your backpack before heading out into the rain. You do not want your (very expensive) books to get wet.

Dorm Living

16. There are going to be lots of people living near you, and everyone has a different sleep schedule. Regardless of whether you are a night owl or an early bird, ear plugs and a sleep mask might help you sleep better. A fan helps block out noise, too.

17. Talk to your roommates before small issues become problems. Communication is the only way that living in a tiny room together will work. Remember that you are sharing, so sometimes you will have to make compromises.

18. At Christmas break bring home the things from your room that you've realized you do not really need at college. Your space is small so do not keep it packed with things that you never use. Also, it helps to keep a list of things that you want to bring back with you when you go home at Christmas.

 19. Spend 5 minutes cleaning up your room before you go to bed. Just 5. It's not much, but it will keep your tiny dorm room from becoming an overwhelming mess.

20. Before you buy dorm room decorations, think about how long you will probably stay in the dorms, If everyone at your college moves out of the dorms after freshman year, you will want to spend less on items that can only be used in a dorm (i.e. xl twin bedding, mini-fridge, etc). If the opposite is true, then feel free to spend a bit more to buy items that will last during the four years you will be in a dorm.

If you missed the previous post, here's 30 Study Tips for Success in College. 

Also, take a look at 10 Ways to Take Care of Your Health in College.

Do you have any more advice for students going to college this fall? Share it in the comments.