Freshman Year in College: My Experience as an SUU Student
Posted: October 17, 2022 | Author: Clare-Estelle Perkins | Read Time: 3 minutes
Hi! My name is Clare-Estelle Perkins and I am a freshman at Southern Utah University.
Here’s the thing about your freshman year in college: it’s not as scary as you think it’s going to be. It is a big change and something to get used to for sure but it’s nothing we can’t handle. If I were to describe my freshman experience in college so far in three words, I would use exhilarating, unfamiliar, and developmental. While it has been new and has taught me many things about myself and being an adult in general, I have had a blast while experiencing it all. If you are heading into your freshman year, here are some of the tips I have gathered and deemed useful so far.
Three Tips for Your Freshman Year of College
Get Out!
I’m sure you’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again, the best tip for new freshmen is to get out and do it all. It is much easier with Thunder U to find activities to attend and meet new people. The most important step is to leave your room. Humans are social animals and no matter how introverted someone may be, we all need to know somebody. We all need someone to rely on. SUU has all sorts of activities available to you for that very purpose!
Three easy ways to find events and get involved at SUU:
Remember to Relax
Not everything happens immediately. Remember that this is just the beginning and we all have so much ahead of us. Be sure to reserve time for relaxing in general. With people, or without people, we all have to recharge our social batteries in some way. Be sure to set time aside to care for yourself and your mental health.
Remember to relax when you are meeting people as well. It is easy to overthink about what other people think about you. I promise you, you are the only one so worried about how you come across. Everyone else is too worried about how they are coming across too. You being calm helps others feel comfortable and calm so remember to relax.
Even if or when you do mess something up remember not to worry about it too much. Think to yourself whether or not it is going to matter in a week, or a month, or a year, or even five years. Even then, I bet you will be the only one still thinking about it.
Relaxing resources:
Take Things Seriously
This next tip is primarily for traditional students like myself. We are all adults now. Nobody is going to babysit us or our grades anymore. That being said, remember why you are here and be sure to keep that focus.
Go. To. Class. Most of the professors are really chill and just want you to show up. Attending all your lectures and classes is one hundred percent the easiest way to guarantee to pass the class. Plus, you paid for this, might as well learn everything.
Work hard and then play hard. The last thing you want is to fall behind when we’ve only just started. Finish all your work and then your time and mental space is free for all the fun.
Freshman year in college is just the beginning of a new chapter in your life. It’s exciting and scary all at once and I promise it is totally worth it. It is never as bad as you’d imagine. Your time in college is a great time to discover and learn about yourself as you face challenges and unfamiliar situations. Remember you always have access to the help you might need and resources to find the answers to any questions you may have. Best of luck on your college adventure!
Tags: High School Student Life
