Are you a college student looking for insider advice? Discover 3 essential tips that every college student needs to know and set yourself up for a successful and rewarding experience. Don’t miss out on what they don’t tell you about college!
Y’all, the start of the 2023-2024 Academic Year is right around the corner. With the exception of a couple of years, from ages 17 to 35 (now), my life has been measured in college semesters. I won’t bore you with my critique or concerns about higher education overall — wiser minds do that all the time.
What I will do, however, is share some insights that I wish I could arm each and every college freshman and senior with. Whether you’re aiming at a certificate or associate’s degree, a bachelor’s, or are at the start of a long haul toward graduate education, here are some tips every college student needs to know!
If you are a parent looking for tips on how to help your college student adjust to college life, check out our blog: 5 Ways Parents Can Support Their College Students’ Success.
What They Don’t Tell You About College: 3 Tips Every College Student Needs To Know
1. Are you a first-generation college student? Use those resources!
As a first-generation high school and college graduate myself, you folks are nearest and dearest to my heart. Here is what you should know — though this is helpful for non first-gen folks too —: many of your fellow students are savvy resource consumers. For them, their education and even their grades are a negotiation, not a thing that they merely earn.
Now, please don’t hassle your poor underpaid TA for extra points even though you’ll see others doing this. (Cringe.) But absolutely use all the resources at your disposal.
Does your college have a counseling center? A writing and math center? Use them. If you’re overwhelmed or having a hard time studying, getting organized, or understanding the material, there is undoubtedly a resource for you. You’re paying for it whether you use it or not.
A lot of first-generation college students I’ve worked with feel like they’re supposed to be able to do everything alone and that any form of assistance is a failure. Drop this mindset as soon as you can, because a lot of the people around you who seem like they’re doing better are doing better simply because they are using these resources.
Pro Tip: Make sure your professors know your name. Professors are not authority figures to be managed or kept at a distance. Well, not most of them anyway. The average professor teaches because they love their topic area and want to have warm and helpful connections with students. Talk to them!
2. Your college experience may differ from the brochure
A lot of the initial crises seen in the first months of the fall semester are students who are distressed because weeks have passed and they’re not having the “college experience” they’d envisioned. If I ever return to school for an ED.D it will be to write a take-down dissertation on the insidious and sometimes harmful marketing around the “college experience”.
Rather than bore you with that line of thought I’ll just say this: it took many years to build the friendships you’re missing. You will make new friends but it will take longer than the first couple of months. However, you may need to step outside your comfort zone and push yourself to attend events, groups, sports, or talk to the folk in your class.
I’ve seen students fall into the trap of thinking that friendships are something that just happens, but if you’re only going to class and then back to your res hall, you are not creating enough opportunities for connection.
3. Watch your substance use
If you’re a first-time reader you may not know that I’m generally supportive of recreational substance use in moderation. Wine night with friends? Great. Tried an edible and watched the new Barbie movie? Cool. These things don’t necessarily worry me, but I’ve seen students try to use excessive partying as a way to fast-track connection.
However, a big downside to a culture that generally frowns on substance use and has a relatively high drinking age compared to most of the world, is that folks enter their college years with little feel for limits and what is “normal”. Drinking to black out is not normal. The use of any substance to the point that you lose consciousness or memory should be avoided.
By the end of the first year of college, you will know people who’ve inadvertently laid the groundwork for long-term alcohol abuse or other substance dependence. So I’m not saying don’t so much as I’m saying know your limits. Also remember: you are not partying responsibly if you party with irresponsible people.
Those hokey education modules most colleges make you click your way through before you arrive on campus? They actually have some pretty good information on figuring out your limits. Also, just as a piece of free advice from someone who’s worked with a lot of residence life staff: there is no effective method to conceal the smell of weed. Be sure you know the marijuana laws of the state where you’ll attend school, as they may be quite different from your home state’s.
Interested in knowing more about responsible substance abuse? Take a look at our blog: Weed and Mental Health: The Marijuana Legalization in Maryland.
Therapy For College Students In Baltimore, MD
Did you expect your college experience to be different? Are you struggling to fit in or make friends?
College comes with a unique set of responsibilities, pressures, and expectations. Our therapists can help you navigate this transition and develop healthy coping skills to manage the tension and challenges that go with it.
Asking for help can be hard, especially in a place where you can easily bump into someone you know. That’s why finding a therapist off-campus can help you feel more at ease and confident about taking this step. At New Connections, we provide you with a safe, private, and supportive space to express your feelings and work through the issues you’re facing. Reach out to know more!
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