The Ultimate Guide Series: Freshman Year
Every year malleable high school students step foot into big American universities from various parts of the world. As young 17 year olds with heightened aspirations and dreams, college is a catalyst for change. Movies and tv shows glorify college life which allows most of us to get lost in a spiral of expectations. Walking into freshman year can be very daunting and understandably we have many questions that might not be answered in the fast paced and ever changing environment at college. Here at COACHED (trycoached.com) we can answer all your questions in minutes. Let us be your constant helping hand!
But first things first: A few tips and tricks to navigate through the bumpy journey of freshman year -
-Get out of your comfort zone: “your bubble” might seem like the best place for you and would also make you feel the most secure but in reality getting out of your comfort zone is the first step to finding yourself at college. At college we are able to meet people from all walks of life and learning from each other’s experiences shapes our point of view and opens up our mindset. As international students it is the “easy” route to stick with “home” friends or people of a similar background but, we should make a constant and conscious effort to branch out. There are various ways to pop that comfort zone:
- Join/start a club
- Combine your passions/hobbies into your social life
- Be confident and make an effort to meet people
- Start networking
-Create strong, reliable and everlasting relationships: The friends you form at college are your “home away from home”. All of us require a support system especially when this is our first time staying away from home for an extended period of time or being million miles away in a completely different time zone. Though finding a set group of friends might take time but learn quickly how to differentiate between healthy and toxic. As the cliche goes — “choose QUALITY over quantity”. These friendships will very likely last forever as you’ll be able to create individual paths through college by having each other by your sides.
-Be yourself: Trying to fit in is a very crucial need for us humans but this dire need is the root cause to losing our sense of worth and personality. The only way to make strong friendships is by staying true to yourself and your values. Though it is important to grow and improve as a person we should make sure our core values are intact making us more likable.
-Have a routine: All of us are unique and have different schedules that work for us. Some of us might prefer working out in the day and studying at night and others vice versa. We are all entitled to follow our daily lives according to our preferences. Losing this sense of routine and normalcy will only leave you more confused and will also lead to other issues such as weight gain/loss, loss of sleep, loss of concentration etc. Having a steady schedule will allow you to be more productive and give you a sense of accomplishment.
-Safety: Everyone loves freedom especially college students but we sometimes forget our parents and loved ones who are constantly worried about our well being. As a young adult risk taking and selfish behaviors come easily to us which is why we should constantly make an effort to be in touch with our friends and family far away from us as safety and health is of utmost importance.
We understand that college is much more complex than having a routine or safety. We at coach are here for you every step of the way, just shoot us a text! Solve problems in seconds and make freshman year a little easier :)
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