By: Trinh Nguyen
About me: I’m a rising junior at Swarthmore College, majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Engineering and Educational Studies. I joined CampusESP as a Content Management Intern for the summer. CampusESP provides much of the content that you read in your parent portal!
During my first semester at college, I struggled with balancing my academic and social life. As I’ve figured out my path, I’ve had my fair share of missteps, and a whole lot of victories. And, now that I’m a junior, I can say that I love my college and wouldn’t trade the past two years for anything! My biggest regret was not being as prepared for my freshman year as I’d like. I have consolidated my experience into 9 tips on how to live college life to the fullest. Feel free to share this post with your student directly or take the advice here and pass along to them - I hope these tips will be helpful to them as they forge their own unique college experience.
1) 4 Words: Go. To. Office. Hours!
College courses can be challenging, but you don’t have to go through them alone. In my opinion, office hours are the greatest resources that colleges provide. What’s better than having professors available to answer all your questions? Not only are most professors happy to help you understand the material, but they are also open to chat about their work, such as research papers they published or programs they participated in. I was able to do research with my professor last summer because I was interested in her ongoing project and went to office hours to ask her more about it. Plus, some professors are really cool people and super fun to talk to - so definitely utilize office hours!
2) Get Involved on Campus
College isn’t just about studying. It’s also about doing things you enjoy and are passionate about. I work as a tour guide during the school year, and giving a tour is always one of my favorite parts of the day. It gives me a chance to take a walk around my beautiful campus as well as to talk to prospective students. I couldn’t imagine my college experience without working on campus and participating in clubs.
From intramural sports to clubs and job opportunities on campus, there’s always something for everyone. The hardest part is picking which ones you’d like to try from hundreds of extracurricular activities. Take a look at available clubs/organizations before the semester starts and narrow the choices down to ten. After that, attend the school’s Activities Fair if you can (which is usually held in fall) and visit the booths that represent the ten clubs/organizations you picked out. From there, figure out which ones you like the most! Also, keep an eye out for emails: sometimes, clubs send school-wide emails about events they’re hosting. Don’t be afraid to apply for things you’ve never done before - most clubs are very beginner-friendly.
If you can’t find a club you’re interested in, make one! There will definitely be other people with the same interests :)
3) Explore Different Subjects
College is a great place to try new things - not just recreationally, but also academically. At most colleges, especially liberal arts ones like mine, freshmen can take intro classes in various disciplines. If your schedule allows, take as many classes in subjects that sound interesting to you. Even if you end up not liking them, you still learned something new! This is a great way to choose your majors and minors as well. I took an intro class in the Educational Studies department my freshman year and ended up choosing it as my minor.
Many students also choose to take up a new language at college. It will be very helpful, especially if you plan to study or work abroad at some point.
4) Utilize Your School’s Resources
Apart from office hours, colleges also have various facilities and resources to support students such as: Campus Recreation, Career Services, Writing Center, Counseling Center, Tutoring Center, and so on. Use them! It can be overwhelming and intimidating to seek help, but these resources are available to help you be the best version of yourself and they don’t judge you based on your background. Something I’ve learned is that, even when everyone around you seems like they are having the perfect college experience, everyone struggles with something. These resources are there to help you with whatever you need to form the best college experience you can. Once you’ve taken the initiative of reaching out and scheduling an appointment, the hard part is done!
When I was preparing to apply for internships, I did not have a resume and was initially embarrassed to reach out to Career Services. I convinced myself to make an appointment, and by the end of my meeting with a Career Advisor, I already had a resume draft!
5) Stay Active During the Summer
There is less going on during the summer, so it’s a perfect time to take up something fun. I know that summer is for relaxing and resting, but believe it or not: having a job/internship can be fun too! I have learned so much, met many fun people and enjoyed my time while interning at CampusESP. Internships and jobs are a great way to apply what you learn in college to real life as well as seeing if you like or dislike a career path. With a summer job, you can make some extra cash and put the experience on your resume. It also helps keep your mind sharp and ready for the coming fall semester.
Can’t find a job that excites you? You can still do something you enjoy on your own! One idea is to teach yourself a new skill like web design or software development and create a project using that skill.
6) Be Assertive and Confident!
Making new friends and getting used to the college environment can be rough at first. Orientation, classes and extracurriculars are all great ways to get to know more people. If you’re like me and have a hard time going up to random people and introducing yourself, email, texting, and social media are good ways to connect. Before freshman year, I messaged a few people who were also going to my college just to say hi. I’ve reached out to people in my classes through email to ask if they’d want to work on homework or a group project together. Then we just ended up being friends! I’ve also made plans with people I briefly met during orientation to get to know them better. At college, everyone is special and fun in their own way, and you will definitely find someone that you enjoy hanging out with as long as you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone and take the initiative.
7) Plan Your Day
College is very different. Even though there is more freedom, I recommend always planning the next day before going to sleep! Structuring my day has proven to be very useful, because it helps me estimate how much free time I have and prioritize my work. If you’re planning to go to a movie or have dinner with friends, put those events on your calendar. If you want to work on multiple things that day (which is usually the case in college), organize your to-do list from most important to least important work. Plus, crossing things off your list is one of the most satisfying things ever. Personally, I use Google Calendar for listing tasks and deadlines. However, a journal/notebook or an app also works. Find a method that motivates you and use that to make sure everything gets done!
8) Have Fun!
College can be fun. Like, really fun. From going out to eat with friends to attending your school’s sports games, there are a million things to do at college. Academics are important, but don’t forget to have fun too! The college environment is very unique. You only have four years of college as you’re transitioning to adulthood - make the most out of it. However, this is one important thing I need to point out: fun and academic excellence are not mutually exclusive. You can still attend events and finish your homework. The key is to always plan things before doing them. Don’t leave yourself in a sticky situation by watching a movie the night your final paper is due!
9) Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself!
And for the last and most important tip, take care of your mental and physical health. This is what I think college students struggle with the most.
Mental health:
There is definitely a learning curve while transitioning from high school to college. You might feel like you’re falling behind, or that you don’t belong. I’m here to tell you that you’re doing great and I’m proud of you! Don’t be too hard on yourself. At college, you’re surrounded by excellent peers, but that doesn’t mean you’re not excellent. There’s a term for this: imposter syndrome, and many people go through it. Don’t compare yourself to others too much - even though you may have a different starting point or path, you’re just as special and capable.
In college, there are always a thousand things going on at the same time, and I’m not exaggerating. It is very tempting to plan too much in your day without giving yourself time to wind down. As a freshman, it can also be hard combatting FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). When your sports team is competing at a tournament or your friends are going to an event, it might seem hard to say no. I remember thinking to myself: what if the event ended up being very fun and I missed it? Does that mean I missed out on the college experience? The college experience can wait. You and your wellbeing come first.
Physical health:
It seems like pulling all nighters has become the norm at most colleges. I can’t deny that I have done this multiple times, but it doesn’t work. You are going to be burned out much more quickly if you don’t adopt healthy habits. Make sure to drink water, get enough sleep, exercise and eat all your meals!
The college experience is different for everyone. I hope these tips can help your student enjoy their experience a bit more and forge a path that works for them!!
