How to Survive College
The transition into college life can be scary, difficult, and stressful, especially if you are moving far away from home. Going to college is not just about getting a degree. Your social life and overall experience in college matter. Although college is challenging for all students, it can be especially difficult if you are a freshman or an introvert. Students joining college have trouble adjusting, while introverts have to deal with the pressure to socialize.
There is no magic formula on how to survive in college. Still, college is not made for extroverts or seniors only, it is what you make of it. In the following post, we provide a few tips to help freshmen and introverts to have a fulfilling college experience.
How to Survive Freshman Year of College
Go to Class and Don’t Procrastinate
It is easy to get into the habit of skipping a class or two. Although it can be tedious, attending all your classes and taking notes are success tips that will help you when it comes to exams and assignments. Ensure you participate in discussions and ask questions.
Apart from staying up to date on materials and important dates, attending class adds structure to your day and helps to create good relationships with your professors and classmates.
Also, try to avoid procrastinating. Get your assignments completed early to guarantee that you submit them on time. You will rarely be anxious or stressed when you do your tasks early.
Stay Organized
College activities and assignments build up quickly, hence the need to organize. In the first week of college, check your syllabus and note down important dates for papers and exams. You can keep track by having separate folders or binders for each class, or you can have a digital planner.
It is easy to stay on top of things when you are recording everything, such as upcoming meetings, assignments, and exams. Remember to set reminders and notifications of upcoming activities to keep you on track.
Manage Your Finances
Finances can be difficult to navigate as a freshman because it’s probably your first time paying your own bills. College students are not the wealthiest demographic, hence the need to learn about finances. To survive your freshman year in college, you need to understand budgeting, details of your student loan, credit, saving, meal plans, and renting textbooks.
There are many jobs available on and off-campus. If you have a gap in your schedule, get a job or paid internship to build your resume and pay your bills.
Use the Help of Writing Services
The reality of college life is that sometimes there will be obstacles that make it difficult to complete your assignments on time. Many students are left feeling anxious and stressed.
To survive college in a stress-free way, consider getting professional help from an online essay writing service. Academic writing service links you with an expert in your field to assist you with homework, term papers, dissertations, and essays. The companies hire writers with many years of experience to guarantee that students get top grades.
You can visit a paper writing service for college to get more information on how to place a college essay order or talk to an expert who will help you with your assignment.
Enjoy the Moment
The college experience will go by quicker than you think. Work diligently during the week but take time to reward yourself with some fun. Some of the ways you can have fun include exploring the city, playing board games with friends, relaxing while watching Netflix, or taking a much-needed nap.
Ensure you catch student activities like concerts, movie nights, club events, and sports. No matter how busy you are, remember to keep in touch with family and friends because it can give you an unbelievable boost of strength and confidence to deal with the challenges of college life.
Tips to Survive College as an Introvert
Be True to Yourself and Play to Your Strengths
College student life is known to be wild and loud, and some students may feel pressured to participate in drinking or going to parties, even if they prefer not to. As an introvert, don’t let friends pressure you to do anything if that is not your thing.
Still, avoid spending all your time in college alone. Some introverts are very happy to chat away with the right company. You can take steps to meet people you have something in common with, such as engaging in extracurricular activities like a debate club, press club, or sports.
Consider Taking Online Classes
Most colleges offer admissions to distance learners that make it easy to complete coursework from the comfort of their homes. Online classes can sometimes help introverts feel more comfortable contributing to discussions or processing information. As an introvert, you may be too shy to ask questions in a classroom setting, which can negatively impact learning. Thus, online classes are a valuable resource for surviving college as an introvert.
Break Out of Your Comfort Zone Occasionally
Although it is good to embrace what you are comfortable with and create a routine around that, it is also good to step out of your comfort zone occasionally. For example, orientation events might seem like a lot for an introvert, but it’s the best time to know people.
Keep pushing yourself in little ways, and you never know, you might meet your new best friend on a day out. When you have to choose a partner for an English class, don’t go for the safe option. Look around and ask the cute guy sitting next to you to be your partner. The good thing about being an introvert is you need very little to fill your “out of the box” meter.
Make Friends With an Extrovert
Although introverts need quiet time, they also need the company of extroverts to have a healthy social life. As an introvert, you need to keep around a few funny friends with extroverted energy in short bursts. If you limit yourself to college friends who are like you, you will have a very dull social network.
Set some few times in the week to engage in activities that attract extroverts. While spending time with an extrovert might encourage them to slow down a bit, it will also help you to step out of your comfort zone.
Understand That Introversion is a Strength in College
It is easy for introverted college students to feel like there’s something wrong with them because they are not outgoing. Although extroverts may seem to be the best fit for life in community college, introverts end up doing very well academically because they don’t need to socialize constantly.
While extroverts can’t bear to miss a social event, it is easy for an introvert to stay in their room alone and focus on work. You end up getting more done in a short time when working alone.
