How to Have a Great School Year: A Resource for College Students
“Let’s get it started - ha / Let’s get it started in here,” Black Eyed Peas, Let’s Get it Started
Check out our tips to help you have a great school year!
Settle in and Get Organized: For incoming freshmen, moving away from home for the first time can be jarring. And for all students, it can be easy to forgo settling and instead jump into the energy and excitement of being back on campus. Welcome back activities, house parties, game nights, rush week - it might seem like there’s too much to worry about missing out on. Taking time to settle into your dorm can set the tone for your semester. After a long night of partying or an early morning class (or both!) it’s nice to have a calming space to return to. Unboxing your things, setting up your room, and organizing your stuff can aid with that.
Get to know Your Roommate: If you’ve got a roommate or housemates, making an introduction and investing in those relationships can help you get off to a good start. You’re going to be living together and it’s probably best not to be strangers. Consider talking through expectations for your shared living space, including things like: quiet hours, when guests can/cannot visit, any chores for common areas, etc.
Get Connected: Building relationships is good for you, can increase your enjoyment of the college experience, and will be a protective factor for you in preparation of stress of academia. Take advantage of dorm events, opportunities to join registered student organizations, extra curricular activities, and welcome back events. Make sure to check out the event calendars for your city too - don’t stay restricted to campus. If making friends is a cause for anxiety - check out our resource on how to make friends! And take a risk to introduce yourself to others!
Enjoy the Coursework: College is expensive and you’ll take many classes that are interesting, inspiring, boring, or that are easy, too difficult, or demand too much time and energy. Make sure to make the most of your opportunity to learn, even if it’s not in a subject that you’re passionate about.
Take moments to be Mindful: 10 years from now, your college years will seem like they passed by all too quickly. Take a few moments to reflect throughout the semester. Journal your highlights, keep a favorites picture folder to remember highlights, and let your friends know when you’re having a good time.
Have Fun & Be Safe: Despite gen z drinking less alcohol than previous generations, college students continue to consume alcohol at a high rate. And unfortunately, these high rates of alcohol use often lead to poor outcomes for students, including problems with class attendance and poor academic performance, among other consequences.
Use Your Supports: Just because you’re moving away from home and maybe even away from friends, doesn’t mean you’re moving away from your relationships. Check in with family and friends, catch up, and let them know when/if you’re struggling.
Consult School Resources as Needed: Even if it may not always feel like it, your college wants you to succeed. And they have supports available to do just that! Office hours, tutoring, counseling services and student advocates, registered student organization offices. Look into the services they have available for you and don’t hesitate to utilize them.
How Future Full of Hope Can Help:
Maybe you’re doing your best to get connected to other students and you're wrestling with social anxiety. Or the stress related to your academic success, extracurricular responsibilities, and workload is unbearable. Or maybe you’ve jumped full into your school’s party scene and are having trouble managing healthy habits. If you’re a college student having difficulty adjusting back to college life, therapy at Future Full of Hope can help you to have a great school year. We join with college students to manage stress and anxiety related to social skills, dating, test taking, parental pressure among other stressors. We join with college students to process their experiences, develop coping strategies to embrace their college life to the fullest without compromising their own goals, and be prepared to excel during this semester beyond. Reach out to schedule a free consultation with Kevin by following the button below.
If you’re a college student ready to start therapy, follow the link below to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with Kevin
AI Disclaimer: This post is original and written by Kevin Boyd of Future Full of Hope, PLLC. No AI tool was leveraged in the development of this post
