30 Things Not To Do Freshman Year
Freshman year can be both an exciting and chaotic time as it’s most likely your first time on your own. As part of the college experience, you’re going to make plenty of mistakes and learn from them. What if you didn’t have to? There are so many things not to do freshman year. From the basics, to relationships, roommates and dorm life, we have the ultimate guide for the things not to do freshman year. You’re going to have a great four years!
The Basics:
1. Be afraid to ask questions.
There are no stupid questions, chances are you’re not the only one who’s thinking it either. There are plenty of people and resources on campus to help you, no matter the situation!
2. Neglect office hours.
Speaking of questions, your professors have office hours so you can ask them anything! Even if you’re doing well in the class, it doesn’t hurt to get to know your professor.
3. Procrastinate…
It’s easy to do, especially when you’re trying to figure out so many new things at once. Make an effort to focus on time management your first semester, it will make your whole college experience that much easier.
4. Skip too many 8ams.
While 8ams are the worst, sometimes they’re necessary and required courses that you just couldn’t fit into your schedule at any other time. Fuel up with coffee and get through it.
5. Buy all of your textbooks at full price.
The on campus bookstores are always overpriced. You never know until syllabus day what texts are required by your professors. There are so many options to find great discounts on textbooks. One great site to use to find cheap textbooks is Studentrate!
6. Underestimate your courses.
Even if other students say they’re easy, make sure you dedicate an equal amount of time to each course. You’ll be surprised how much time you spend studying.
7. Not make time for new activities, clubs and campus events.
This is the time of your life to try new things, sign up for that club you heard about over the summer, or try out for club sports, you never know where they might lead.
8. Over commit.
At the same time, you don’t want to sign up for every club and have no free time. You’ll find the right balance as the semester goes on.
9. Spend all of your time studying.
As much as you want that 4.0 GPA, make sure you find some time to relax and get out. There’s plenty to learn outside of the library.
10. Lose sleep over a bad grade.
Use it as a learning experience. Talk to the professor during office hours to see how you can improve for the next exam!
11. Or sleep in general.
There will be plenty of times when you’ll have to pull an all-nighter, especially during exam week. But don’t lose track of time and try your best to stay well rested. The last thing you want is to wear yourself out your first semester.
12. Get lazy.
Remember to exercise! You don’t want to end up with the freshman 15. Chances are, your school has a great gym on campus. Use it! They may even have free fitness courses that you can sign up for with friends to stay motivated.
13. Forget to budget!
You’re a broke college student, you need to make a budget of all your expenses. If you need to, get a part time job. There are usually plenty of opportunities to make money on campus!
14. Wear your lanyard or welcome week/orientation shirts.
This is a sure way to announce to everyone on campus that you are a freshman. Save the welcome week shirt for when you have nothing to wear after you forget to do laundry.
15. Forget to explore around campus.
Make time to learn about and explore the city you’re studying in. You never know what internship opportunities you might find along the way! If you’re studying in a city, take advantage of all of the local museums, theatres and more.
For The Party Scene:
16. Party before studying.
It’s Thursday night and all of your friends are going out. Unfortunately, you have an exam the next morning. Focus on your priorities, there’s always the weekend.
17. Black out/Get too sloppy.
While it’s fun to go out and party, don’t feel like you have to go shot for shot with your friends. Have a good dinner before you head out and know your limits.
18. Feel like you have to go out all the time.
If you’ve had a long week, or just aren’t into partying, don’t feel obligated to go out! There’s nothing wrong with staying in and binging Netflix, or catching up on some much needed sleep.
19. Get a fake ID.
While you may be tempted to get one with your friends, you never know if it will work for sure or not. It’s not always worth the risk.
20. Go out alone.
Never, I repeat, never go out alone. Always stay safe and party with a group of close friends. It’s more fun that way anyway!
Relationships and Friendships:
21. Forget to branch out and network.
Don’t miss out on opportunities like career fairs, or other on campus events. You never know who you might meet!
22. Lose touch with your old friends.
While it’s great making new friends, keep in touch with your old ones from home from time to time. It’s easier said than done and will take effort from both of you.
23. Get into a relationship right away.
Don’t feel like you have to meet Mr. or Miss right, right away. Explore yourself for a while, it’s a brand new chapter of your life!
24. Forget to call mom and dad.
This is probably the first time you’ve been away from each other for an extended period of time. They’re going to miss you and want to know exactly what you’re up to. Try to call them a few times a week and keep them up to date.
Roommates/ Dorm Life:
25. Constantly sexile them.
Keep it balanced with your significant other, and spend an equal amount of time at each other’s dorms. You wouldn’t want to be sexiled, so try not to do it to your roommate(s). At the very least, give your roommate a heads up if your s.o. is coming over later.
26. Disrespect their space/privacy.
It’s more than likely that this is your first time sharing a living space with someone else. There are some obvious don’ts, like touching their stuff, etc, keep things clean, its a lot easier than dealing with an argument.
27. Cling to them.
You don’t have to be your roommates’ best friend and go around everywhere, practically attached to the hip. You both need your alone time. However, try your best to at least get along when you are together.
28. Be afraid to talk to them.
I know it can be intimidating, especially when you’ve just met. Â If you’re having a problem, don’t be passive aggressive. If you need to talk to them about something, bring it up sooner rather than later. You’re both in this together.
29. Leave your door closed.
Leaving your door open is a great way to meet new people on your floor. Play your favorite music, and you never know who might stop by and introduce themselves. The same goes for you, if you see someone with their door open on the first week, make the initiative to introduce yourself.
30. Let your laundry pile up.
Believe me, you’ll want to take care of your laundry right away. Nothing is worse than when all of the machines are full because everyone forgot to do their laundry before the weekend.
