5 Simple Tips For Going Away To College

Moving away from home for college is an important rite of passage for some, but it can also be a stressful and intimidating experience. Many young people may feel anxious about the unexpected changes and challenges that await them. To make it easier, here are 5 simple tips for going away to college!

Stay in Touch with Family and Friends

As you begin your new life in college, you will meet a lot of new people, and you will be busy with new activities. While these new situations and people can be exciting, try to make time to stay in touch with your family and friends from back home.

New relationships are great, but it’s important to maintain old ones as well. You don’t want to get so busy and distracted that people who care about you think you’ve forgotten about them. So call your parents, or send a text to your old friend who goes to school in another state; this will make your college transition smoother.

Stay Healthy

Moving to college can be a big lifestyle shift for people, especially if they’re living in dorms. The habits that you have developed for years — your meals, your exercise, your sleep, your media consumption — are all likely to change in your new environment. It might be easy to eat fries for every meal at the dining hall, to stay up all night, or to spend a whole Saturday watching Netflix.

But over time, these habits will make you less healthy and happy. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some newfound freedom, or making a lifestyle change, but it’s important to stay mindful of your health. Set a routine, go for a walk, eat your vegetables, and you will be better equipped to enjoy college and succeed in your studies.

Party Responsibly

When you go to college you will probably have the opportunity to go to parties, and they might be different from any parties you’ve been to. There’s nothing wrong with partying, but be careful when experimenting with alcohol and drug use. Try to know your limits and stay with friends that you trust. Always have a plan for getting back home at the end of the night; above all, you should never drink and drive or drive under the influence or you’ll risk hurting someone, hurting yourself, or getting drug possession charges or a DWI.

Do the Reading

The biggest academic change between high school and college is the amount of reading that professors assign. Some classes will require you to read hundreds of pages per week, in addition to lectures and other coursework. Sometimes, it might seem like all of this reading is optional, and you can certainly find better ways to spend your time.

But skipping the reading is the fastest way to fall behind in your classes and make your exams more difficult. Whenever possible, just make time to do the reading — your grades will thank you.

Be Patient

Most new college students will have expectations about college life when they first move away. They’ve seen movies set at colleges, and they have older friends who have told stories of parties and friends.

When you first move to college, you might not feel like you’re living up to these expectations. You don’t have enough friends, or you’re not having enough fun, or your classes aren’t interesting enough. This can be frustrating, but it’s important not to get discouraged or give up on the things you want. Be patient, and you will eventually find the college life you are looking for.

CONCLUSION

While moving away to college can be scary, there are many things you can do to make the transition easier. With these 5 simple tips for going away to college, new students can feel ready for this important step into adulthood.