5 Ways to Adjust to Freshman Year at Temple

Adjusting anywhere is usually tricky. Adjusting to college is even more difficult. And adjusting to college as a freshman is one of the hardest things we face throughout our lives. OK, so maybe it isn’t that difficult for some of us. But if you aren’t lucky enough to be one of those select few, then adjusting to a new environment and preparing to acclimate yourself there for the next four years isn’t exactly a piece of cake. Keep reading for 5 tips to successfully adjust to your freshman year at Temple!

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1. Create a study schedule and work a little bit every day for each of your classes so you don’t fall behind.

As a high school student I barely studied and still got good grades. But as college came around, I realized that I actually had to put in work to get a decent grade in class. My suggestion would be to create a study schedule. Try to work on something for each class everyday whether it’s homework, a project, or simply studying for a test in advance. If you are struggling with a class, then definitely try to go to a professor’s office hours. Not only will you end up getting help in the class but it will also give you a chance to get to know the professor better leading to possible internship/research opportunities.

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2. Practice how to effectively communicate with your roommate to ensure a positive relationship.

This can be the hardest part to adjust to in college. My roommate and I didn’t get along at all the first few months of the year but eventually we worked out our differences. Most of the time freshmen that dorm stay in one of seven buildings. Morgan Hall, 1300, Johnson, Hardwick, 1940, Peabody, and Temple Towers. Personally I prefer Morgan Hall or 1300 to the other dorms because they ensure suite style living and are more spacious than the rest. To ensure a good experience with your roommate effective communication is extremely important. As soon as there is a problem talk to each other about it. Being respectful of each other helps as well. For example, if your roommate is trying to sleep try to dim the lights and be as quiet as possible.

3. Join clubs or organizations and be yourself in order to make great friends.

Depending on the size of your college this will be easier or harder. However, when looking to make friends you want to be able to make the right ones. In order to make new friends it is extremely important to be yourself. While it is so fun to be a “party animal” it is just as ok to be someone who shies away from the frat parties. Additionally, look for clubs that you are interested in whether it’s joining a dance team, a sports team, working for the school newspaper, or doing community service. For example if you are planning on going to medical school like me, clubs like HOSA or AMSA will allow you to complete your community service requirement. If you are a business major then joining a fraternity like Gamma Iota Sigma will help you make friends as well as various business connections that you will need later. If you join a club that you aren’t interested in, you will be miserable and it will impact your college experience in a negative way.

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4. Learn how to manage your finances sooner rather than later (read on for some Temple finance tips)…

For many students money is tight and wasting it at this point in your life is not a good idea. For example, many of the students who dorm have a meal plan. Instead of incorporating a 15-20 meals-a-week plan into your tuition stick with the basic 10. Trust me, you hardly ever need more than 10 meal swipes. Another neat trick is to try saving your Diamond Dollars so that eventually you can purchase textbooks with them. Try to find an on-campus job as soon as possible because (especially in a big college) they fill up soon. If this is difficult then find a paid internship position. There are many on campus. Not only will you be getting money but you will also be able to get experience for your resume.

5. Master these 3 adult-ing basics: keeping yourself organized, doing your own laundry, learning how to cook for yourself.

I was surprised at how many people came to college and didn’t know how to do laundry or cook a single dish. Learning the basics such as keeping yourself organized, doing your laundry once a week, and learning how to cook will save you loads of time, not to mention money. You will also be prepared to go out in the real world when you have your own apartment and a real job to hold.