Establishing a freshman-year roadmap is an important way to ensure success in your first year of college. Below I will list some key points to mastering your roadmap, by considering each point hopefully you can create a solid foundation for yourself to thrive in college!
Creating your class timetable is central to how your first semester will unfold. Getting a grasp of the academic offerings of your college, and the requirements of your prospective major will be a big determinant in what classes you take.
Selecting classes in your first year should be about pursuing academic interests and broadening your horizons - take something different and unique! Seminar classes designed for first-year students are an excellent way to meet new people, explore interesting topics, and unlock unfound interests.
At Yale, I took a first-year seminar called “Black and Indigenous Ecologies” exploring Indigenous relationships with the environment amongst Indigenous peoples worldwide, and the implications colonization continues to have on Indigenous land relationships.
Meeting new people is the hallmark of freshman year at college, so be prepared to attend formal and informal social events. Whether it's a dinner, meeting, mixer, or a party, the first few weeks on campus will be a hive of activity.
Be sure to get involved, put yourself out there meet new people, and form those connections that you otherwise wouldn’t have. I can assure you that the friendships that are meant to be will come the most naturally in a place like college. If you feel nervous, be rest assured that the fellow freshmen you interact with are in the same boat as you - it is with that common ground that new friendships can be founded!
For me, college, particularly moving to Yale from New Zealand opened me up to people and birthed friendships that I otherwise wouldn’t have had if I didn’t make the move. These friendships will last a lifetime and go beyond just four years, and for that, I will treasure them.
There will be a flurry of info sessions, rush events, and meetings throughout the first few weeks of the semester that you will be interested in attending. Getting involved in extracurricular activities is often the hallmark of college, and it can benefit your personal and professional development.
Extracurricular activities open you up to new social groups, enable you to learn, gain new skills, and have access to a network of alumni that can be beneficial for your career following graduation. As they say, it is as much what you know as who you know, and extracurricular activities reinforce this.
The one piece of advice for applying to extracurricular activities, particularly in freshman year, is to ensure that you do not overcommit to too many groups - because that leads to burnout. Having a taster of what is available to you on campus is fine, however as the semester progresses and classes and groups begin getting demanding, being mindful of your time will become important.
Ensuring that you don’t burnout through overcommitting is something to keep in mind when you apply to extracurricular activities - however, don’t let that be the reason you don’t apply! Being involved in one or two groups that you are highly passionate about will mean the greatest benefit to you and the group you commit to - and resultantly you will get the most out of the opportunity as possible.
Freshmen are offered all sorts of support by the university to assist them in the transition to life in college. These resources can sometimes be hard to scout or many are not aware of the types of resources and support made available to them in the first place. So, before you start classes, be sure to research key resources both academic and otherwise that will become useful as the school year clicks into gear.
Free resources that are made available to you should be used, so be sure to take advantage of them - when people are in a capacity to help you, be sure to maximize that assistance.
Between late nights and early mornings, spending time with friends(and partying), and the stress of class assignments and exams, we often feel invincible. However, through the busyness of college, it is important to prioritize your health and well-being. In between your busy routine, taking time to think about yourself should take paramount - study breaks, eating meals, resting, exercising, and drinking water are vital!
Looking after yourself is central in defining how your first semesters and your entire college career will pan out - so be sure to do that, and do it from the start! It can seem difficult in the beginning to strike a balance, however with time you will find an equilibrium that best suits your lifestyle.
So, keeping these things in mind, hopefully, will ensure that your freshman year of college is a smooth transition that will set you up for success. This will be one of the most memorable years of your life, so be sure to enjoy it, and trust the process.
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