Surviving the First Day of College
Navigating a new place, meeting new people, and learning new subjects—the first day of college classes can be a stressful one for even the most prepared of students. Luckily, we’ve experienced tons of first days throughout each of our 4 years of college, and learned the hard way what to do (and not do) to start the semester off right. So whether you're a freshman just starting out or a returning student who needs a quick refresher, keep reading for the best of our handpicked first-day of college tips!
1. Eat a Filling Breakfast
Starting off your morning right sets the tone for the rest of your day—not to mention how awkward it can be when your stomach won't stop growling in the middle of class. Some of our quick and trusty go-to’s include peanut butter toast, oatmeal with fruit, and omelets. Try and shoot for a balance of complex carbs and protein to keep your stomach full and your mind sharp!
2. Dress for Success, not for Bed
First impressions are important, which means you should not show up to your first day of class in pajamas (save that for finals week). This is your chance to make your best impression and express yourself through your clothing, not only to your peers but to your professors as well. Also, we’ve found that feeling more put-together boosts your confidence, and can even help you do better in school. Check out this TikTok to get some outfit ideas!
3. Leave Early
Whether you're commuting from home or walking from campus housing, you never know what problems you could run into on the way. In our experience, we have had classes moved to different rooms, traffic that slowed us down, and struggles finding parking. No matter how valid your reason is, you will most likely still be viewed as unprepared in your professor’s eyes, which leads us to our next point...
4. Make a Good First-impression on Your Professor
Remember that professors are people too and that they have real emotions (surprising, right?). So getting on their good side can work to your advantage when it comes to grading and bumping up your score at the end of the semester. Some ways to start building a good student-professor on the first day include sitting in the front of class, introducing yourself after class, and asking questions (just not so many that it’s annoying).
5. Keep Track of Due-dates Early
Professors love to start throwing due dates at you on the first day of class, and the assignments creep up on you before you can even realize it. Some of our favorite ways to keep track of dates are writing them in an agenda/calendar, saving them in our phone calendars, and printing out schedules. Find out which way works best for you and start keeping track, don’t procrastinate!
6. Start Making Friends & Enjoy!
Sometimes you can get so caught up in the anxiety of the first day that you forget to truly enjoy yourself and those around you. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with the person sitting next to you; odds are, you’re both stressing about the first day and could use a friendly conversation. Take advantage of the first day of school activities your campus has to offer, and don’t be afraid to make the first day fun! Take a deep breath, relax, you’ve got this.
P.S. you can hear even more first day of school tips in our latest podcast! Click here to listen.
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