Entering a college university can be intimidating and exciting all at the same time. After finishing my first semester at Auburn University I’ve come to learn some valuable information and want to share to ensure others a successful freshman year at Auburn. Keep reading for 10 things every Auburn student should know before their first semester!
Every college student has their own unique experiences during their freshman year at a university. Some may be more outgoing than others, have an easier time or just seem to have everything together. If you feel like you’re the ‘odd’ one out, don’t worry! Because you are not the only one. Everyone will have a different experience than another student attending a University. Just know that even though we are all unique, someone else might be going through the same thing as you. So relax and enjoy your time on campus!
Although you have already done your fair share of research from applications, you can never be ‘too’ prepared! Look up the curriculum your program offers. Make sure you are walking into your freshman year on track! If you find that you may have tested out of a class or are behind be sure to speak with your advisor and discuss the routes you need to take to ensure a successful, stress-free first year. While looking at the curriculum, you might notice the blank spaces that need to be filled with a class of your choice! Keep in mind what classes you may or may not be interested in. Just because they are ‘required’ courses doesn’t mean they need to be boring. Auburn offers a wide range of enjoyable classes from humanities to fine arts and social sciences!
If you’re like me, then you might hesitate finding a club or organization to be a part of. Of course, there are sororities and fraternities, but if you rather start off easy then be sure to look online and discover all the different clubs and organizations Auburn provides. Remember there is a club for almost everything. However, if you find that there isn’t a specific club you want, then get a small group together and form it yourself! It’s just that easy. When you find a club you enjoy be sure to participate and shoot out ideas and spread the fun to everyone!
Many freshmen often overlook all the amenities offered on campus for FREE! If you feel like you need extra help on a class, then have no fear. Study groups, individual sessions, and student instructor sessions are all provided to you to make sure you get an A in all your classes. At least one a week, Auburn clubs and organizations offer handouts, food, and t-shirts that are all available to you for FREE! Be sure to do your research and get involved to discover all Auburn University offers.
When in college, you’ll begin to realize why so many people say time management is extremely important! Your calendar may be filled with never-ending assignments, tests, birthdays, workout days, club meetings, etc. If you find all these events to be overwhelming, try and find a planner that goes day-by-day or hour-by-hour to help make a list of what event is coming first and prioritize. Under all these dates and events, be sure to try and get a healthy amount of sleep and food. Your body needs to rest on occasion and have enough fuel for your brain, otherwise you might fail to obtain all the information given to you in class or give your best effort on an exam.
Under the note of food, many have heard about the freshman 15. For those who don’t it is said that during your freshman year of college you will gain 15 pounds! Sounds crazy right!? Under certain circumstances, the probability of you gaining weight in your time at college is fairly high. You might gain it your freshman year or maybe senior year. If you wish to prevent this be sure to watch what you eat and drink on a daily basis. Since you’ll be living on your own, with dining plans, and friends who might what to go out and get some food, you’ll be reluctant to grabbing some form of “unhealthy food”. Make an effort to be aware of what goes into your body. It doesn’t mean you need to eat vegetables at every meal but having some natural food is better than Chick-fil-A every day.
Even though your classes are harder than high school, and you find yourself always working on homework or other projects, make sure to take the time to relax or have a little bit of fun. Manage your time to where you get all your required work done but still have room to hang out with your friends on the weekends. Giving yourself some free time with friends or even by yourself will help in the long run!
Although you are entitled to having some sort of fun in college, you need to remember why you’re here – and that’s for a degree! Make sure you still have fun in college but keep your academics as your priority. You’re paying for these classes and it would be wasteful to fail all your classes the first time around and spend another semester in that same class paying the same amount of money. College is expensive but will open new windows and doors for you in later years!
That sounds so easy, right? Now that you are entitled to freedom you can decide whether you want to go to class or not. But remember, every action has its consequence! There will be some classes at Auburn that are an ‘easy A’. However, these classes will only be easy if you go to class. Most professors will post their lectures, PowerPoints, or other forms of teaching tools online BUT you cannot get all the important information stated in class unless you show up!
Some freshman know exactly what they want to do and what classes to take; others will not. Regardless of which category you fall into, always have an open mind to try new things. If there’s a blank class on your schedule and none seem to interest you, just try one out! You’ll never know if you don’t like it unless you try. Same goes for friends and study habits. Always be open to mixing things up a bit and get out of your comfort zone. You’ll only get to experience this for a short time so be sure to make it count!
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