College Life: Great Tips for Taking on the Transition from High School to College

For students who just graduated high school, going off to college is a whole different world. Students have freedom-- no more 7-hour school days, no more teachers who would bend over backwards for you, and no more parents to be there to drag you out of bed and make you go to class. Although this is good news to most people, students often have a hard time adapting and transitioning to college life. With these 5 easy tips, you'll have a firm grasp on how to tackle the transition and be fully ready for college life.
1). Homesickness is natural: Being away from home after living there for the first 18 years of your life is hard for many people. You may miss your family, friends and home, but the comforting part is that there are hundreds of other people in your dorm going through the same thing. Use that to your advantage and meet some people on your floor or in your classes. And most importantly, know that the homesick feeling is natural-- and in time it is sure to go away!
2). Balance is key: It's easy to think that you have all the time in the world in college. There will be time to spend on studying and catching up on work, and also time to relax, unwind, and have some fun-- but make sure you manage your time and keep a healthy balance of these. Too much time spent in the library will drive you crazy, and too much time spent out with your friends will hurt your grades. So prioritize. And remember: work hard, play hard!
3). Stress is a norm: Between multiple classes and loads of different work piling up, you may have a constant feeling of being overwhelmed and stressed. However, that's a feeling that will become so common it will almost feel natural. As confusing as it may sound, the key is to prepare to feel unprepared. Just be sure you have some "you" time-- to relax, unwind, and relieve a little stress between your chaotic schedule.
4). Get to know your professors: Nobody likes to be a brown-noser. But introducing yourself and getting on a more personal level with your academic advisors will not only help your grades, but allow you to have someone to go to as well. It's not like high school where you need to be "cool;" it's a time where getting to know your professors and advisors will help you and your grades in the long run.
5). Budget your money: It's so easy to blow off the money you've saved over summer once you get to college. Between the necessary things-- books, food, events-- and the not-so-necessary things-- partying, clothes, going to the movies-- you can see a quickly-developing hole in your wallet. Set aside a certain amount of money each week to serve as your "spending" money and be sure to never exceed that limit. There will be many on-campus and off-campus job opportunities as well!

So, it's here. It's time to pack your things, say goodbye to your family and friends, and officially take the plunge into becoming a college freshman. But with these tips, you are ready to meet new people, manage your time, overcome stress, and budget your money. So be sure to prioritize, but be sure to save that time to unwind and let loose too. Use these tips to help you take on the transition into freshman year, and enjoy your college experience to the fullest!

Great Ways To De-Stress In College

Alexis Dent

We all know how stressful college can be. From tough classes, to hard practices, as well as balancing extracurricular activities, fun on the weekends, and dealing with friends, college students have a lot on their plates.

Here are some great de-stressing ideas for you to try out when things get tough:

1. The Fitness Center – Chances are that your school has a great fitness center and gym facility. Some schools even have multiple gyms! Hundreds of thousands (and even millions) of dollars are invested in keeping your school’s gym up-to-date, so take advantage of that! Working out releases endorphins, which is your body’s all-natural way to keep you happy and energized! Wave ‘bye-bye’ to that energy drink and say ‘hello’ to the treadmill! Not only will you be happier and more relaxed, but working out consistently will also help ward off the troublesome Freshman 15!

2. Join a club! – Whether the club focuses on a love of shopping, your addiction to Call of Duty, or on volunteering with the less fortunate, joining a club is always a great idea! Not only will it relieve some stress to be around your peers (and potential friends) that have the same interests as you, but in the case of volunteering, oftentimes you’ll realize that maybe your life isn’t so tough after all. Bonus: it looks great on a resume and internship applications to show that you’ve been actively involved, and potentially even an executive member, for a club throughout college.

3. Go to your favorite restaurant – venture into town (or the city!) with some friends for a great meal at one of your favorite restaurants. Your body will enjoy the break from dining hall food, and your mind will enjoy the break from the campus setting. Just be sure not to rely on this de-stressing method too much, or I will have to refer you back to method number 1.

4. Celebrate!!! – It’s never a bad thing to celebrate when you’re doing well! Hey, getting an ‘A’ on that paper for your political science class was no easy feat! Whether you like to celebrate by going out with your crew on the weekend, hitting up the bowling alley with your friends, or hey, even having a marathon of your favorite TV show, celebrating your accomplishments is never a bad thing. That is, unless you celebrate too much and end up stressed all over again!

5. Sleep – When all else fails, getting some good ‘ole shuteye will always rejuvenate you! Even if you have to skip all the methods above and go straight to catching Z’s, it’s worth it. As college students we have so much to do in so little time; sometimes there’s nothing more relaxing than doing…nothing. Taking a nap or catching an extra hour or two of sleep at night will come in handy and ensure that you’re not too drained to keep up with school!

When college life gets hectic and you begin to lose focus or motivation, you can always rely on the methods mentioned above to rejuvenate and de-stress you. As you go through your college years I’m sure you’ll find a ton of other ways that are great in relaxing you even amidst the craziest times. While your first priority in college should always be school, too much of anything is bad news. Stay focused, well balanced, and dedicated, and you should be fine.

How to Find a Job in College

There may be times that you feel like the proverbial poor college student. You want to go out and party with you friend. You want to eat at restaurants instead of constantly eating cafeteria food. Now that you are in college, you have the freedom to eat where you want, when you want with one drawback, you have no money. You need money if you want to do anything that’s not free, you need a job. Check out each of the options below and you may just start making money.

WARNING: Make sure that your part time job doesn’t interfere with school work. Make sure that you know how many hours a week you can spend working and still keep your grades up.

1. Businesses on campus

There are probably a bunch of businesses on campus, all of which have positions that have to be filled. A lot of these places hire exclusively from within the school. Keep your eyes open around campus for any hiring signs or you can even go in and ask if they are hiring.

2. Businesses off campus

Look around town for any business that is close by that you can perhaps walk/bike/catch a bus to. These businesses will probably be just like your jobs when you were in high school. Working in retail or at a restaurant is probably the path that you will take without a college degree (that’s why you’re in college anyway, right?).

3. Offices on campus

A lot of offices hire student assistants to perform clerical work for them. Odds are that it won’t be too exciting, but you get to work in an office that is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. You also get the added benefit of working with many professionals and perhaps getting some insight into a career that you may want to pursue. Along with that idea…

4. Internships

While it is true that many internships are unpaid, there are also a number that are paid. Internships will give you experience in your field, hook you up with great references and perhaps give you money to do the things you want to do. The case may be that you are looking for money, but if you are offered a great internship that is unpaid, go with it for the experience and references.

5. Become self employed

If there are no other options, you may as well employ yourself. If you live in a small college town, go around and look for odd jobs that you can perform for some extra money. If you are really strong in one subject, offer to tutor kids that may be in introductory classes. Use your strengths and put them toward making you money.

It is great to have money, but it can be hard work and time consuming. No matter which of the tips you decide to follow from above, make sure that you have time for classes, studying and the fun things that perhaps made you get a job in the first place. There will be plenty of time to work in the summers between school years and when you graduate.

How to Meet People in College

High School was designed in such a way that it makes it very easy to make friends. While you are reading this, you are probably thinking about all of the friends that you made while in grades K - 12. College is a different game though. You may go to school without any friends that you knew when in high school, and even if those friends are in college with you, there is no guarantee you will see them. Either way, even if you know some people in you college, it would be wise to meet new people.

While attending college, you will not be forced to interact with other students, except for the occasional group project and class discussions. In college, it is up to you to make friends and meet people on your own. The following is a list of ways you can meet new people while in college.

1. Your roommate

This one is pretty obvious, but it had to be noted. You will be seeing a lot of your roommate(s), so it would be wise to get to know and be friendly with this/these individual(s). You could look them up on Facebook before you get to school and get to know them. Also, your roommate(s) could always introduce you to friends that they already know.

2. Talk to others in your building

Speaking of dorm rooms, you are probably living on a floor with many other people. You should take some time to meet them. You will probably see a lot of them, especially your neighbors, so that is a good chance to make friends with people. Besides, if you want to hang out with someone, it will be much easier/more comfortable to walk down the hall on a cold winter night than to get in a car or on a bus and freeze on the way to see your friend.

3. Classes

This is another obvious tip, but a lot of people go through an entire class not making any friends. It will definitely be in your best interest to make friends with people in your classes. These people may have similar interests to your own, seeing that they have a similar class, so you might get along very well with them. Also, if you miss a class, you always have a friend that you can get notes from and you can study with them if you would like to. People usually keep the same seats, so it will be easy to talk to the same people all semester long.

4. Student Organizations/Clubs

Not to mention looking great on a résumé, and grad school applications, these are great places to meet people. The reason for joining a club or organization is because of an interest that the members share. This should make it pretty easy to make friends, seeing that you already have something in common. Meetings can often include group activities that will make you interact with other members. It would be wise to join a student organization for many reasons, even if for no other reason that to meet people.

5. School Events

Any event a school is a great place to meet people, whether it is a big game, a concert, festival or anything else. Your school is hosting some kind of event and it should be a good time. When people are having fun or are united for a common goal, like in the case of a big sports game, it will be easy to meet people. There is always something to talk about and odds are you have seen a lot of these people in classes and other places and now you can strike up a conversation with them.

If you can follow the above tips, you can be almost guaranteed to meet people in college. Try to start out with a few people, those who are easiest to meet. You can always meet people through others that you already know. Don't worry if you don't make a lot of friends at first, it may just take some time before you meet people who you really gel with. Between classes, try to hang out in common places and not locked in you dorm, it's harder to meet people when you are by yourself. Finally, realize that a lof of students are trying to do the same thing you are, make new friends.