Tips forCollege Freshmen

According to US News & World Report› As many as 1 in 3 first-year college students won't make it

back for sophomore year.

A 2002 study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that students' emotional health declined during the first year of college

Reasons for the decline include:› Homesickness› Academic Difficulties› Feeling Overwhelmed › Credit Card Debt› Conflicts with Roommates› Lack of Affiliation› Stress› Partying too much

Maintain a Budget Be cognizant of hidden costs. Keeping a record of all expenditures

will force you to be accountable for extracurricular spending, including clothes shopping and nights out with friends

Avoid Credit Cards!!!

Less Is More When Packing

Having to choose what to bring to college can be stressful.

Remember, you are moving into a small space with little storage

Bring storage boxes that can be stored under beds and in closets.

Get Along With Your Roommate

You will be sharing a small space with other people.

Avoid issues by setting ground rules from the beginning.

Up front conversations about cleaning schedules and having friends over can ensure roommates are on the same page.

Tips to Getting Along With Your Roommate

Call, don't click. Once you have been assigned

a roommate, give them a call simply to introduce yourself or to divvy up who is bringing the TV and who the mini-fridge.

Donna McGalliard, dean of residence life and housing at Wake Forest University says, › "Don't just rely on Facebook,

Texting, Twitter, etc...to get to know someone. People are more than the pictures they post on social network sites." 

Tips to Getting Along With Your Roommate

Don't let problems pile up. If they have a habit that annoys

you, or there's a more serious problem, have an honest conversation.

"The first one to know about a roommate conflict should be the roommate," says David Tuttle, interim vice president of student affairs at Trinity University, in San Antonio. › "Students often hold onto stuff and

blurt it all out when things get to be too much."

Tips to Getting Along With Your Roommate

You don't have to be best friends. There are a lucky few who form lifelong

bonds with their freshman roommate, but according to college housing officials, it's not the norm.

The only expectations you should have of your roommate is that they respect you and the living space. Anything beyond that is a gift, not a mandate.

"Most freshmen feel a pressure to become best friends with their roommates," says Debra Waller-Frederick, director of residence life at Mount Saint Mary College, in Newburgh, N.Y. › "This isn't necessary nor is it realistic. They

merely have to live together. If the end result next May is that they are best friends, well, that's great." 

Tips to Getting Along With Your Roommate

Compromise. Many college freshmen arrive to school having grown used to

having a room to themselves. However, that's usually not the case when living on campus, so be prepared to compromise.

A steady give and take between you and your roommate will ease the tensions that can arise in a shared room.

"It is about sharing and coming up with workable compromises that both you and your roommate are comfortable with," says Rick Moreci, director of housing services at Chicago's DePaul University.

"Compromise does not have to mean sacrifice. It means working together with your roommate to determine the rules for your new living arrangement that you can both be comfortable with." 

Tips to Getting Along With Your Roommate

Set rules. Having a frank conversation with your

roommate in the first few days in an effort to set some rules will prove to be helpful long term.

Whether it be about cleaning the room, listening to music or having friends over, letting your roommate know what might make you uncomfortable is important.

Fight College Stress

There are many things that can pressure new college students: › making friends, doing well in class, being

on your own, etc… But you can alleviate this stress by

getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising regularly.

Stay Organized

Use a planner or electronic device to help maintain a schedule and keep up with obligations.

There are a lot of obligations and events on a college student’s plate and it can become overwhelming to manage.

Don’t Study in Your Room

Your room is the worst place to study because of the comfort and the distractions.› It’s far too easy to wander across the hall and talk

to your neighbor, or to have Facebook on while you glance back and forth from your book to the screen.

Find a spot that works for you A carrel in the upper stacks of the main library Someplace where there are no distractions.

Visit Your Professors During Office Hours

Office Hours are the posted days and times a professor can be expected to be in his/her office available to students.

Show up for those hours with specific questions or concerns related to the class you are taking.

Be polite and to the point. Building a good relationship with your

professors can be advantageous when looking for letters of rec. internships, etc…

GO TO CLASS Always Go to Class

› There’s no detention or punishment for missing classes,

› Sometimes your professor’s lecture notes are online

Your class hours drop by more than half when you go to college.

You have access to some of the most accomplished experts in their field, and you are paying a tremendous amount of money to have access to them.

Don’t waste it!!