How to Survive Your First Year at College
             Going off to attend college can be an exciting time; however, it does involve some major changes in lifestyle. Suddenly, there are no parents hovering around to monitor your every move and remind you of your responsibilities. Classes are on different days and in different buildings, and many professors do not take attendance. While this new atmosphere can be overwhelming and difficult at times, there are ways to facilitate the transition and get your college experience off to a good start. The best ways to adapt are to join clubs, sports, or other groups, set aside a specific time for schoolwork and papers, and be sure to attend as many meetings as possible.
             During the busy first year of college, freshmen are thrown into a new life, expected to automatically know how everything works. At the same time, everything is new, including the thousands of people surrounding you. In order to meet people and make friends, it is a good idea to join a few extra-curricular activities like a sport, club, or fraternity/sorority. Most colleges have clubs or groups for just about any type of interest, and if there is not a group for something you feel there should be, you can petition the school to create one (for example, at my old university, my roommate was involved in founding an Asian sorority). If you enjoy sports, but are not competitive or skilled enough for a team, there are often clubs formed by other college students just for fun. Joining any type of club, group, sport, or sorority/fraternity is a great way to meet people with similar interests and hobbies. It also provides the benefit of associating with upperclassmen that can answer questions you have or help you with things they have already been through.
             While participating in extra-curricular activities helps you feel more comfortable during your first year as a college student, it also takes up a good deal of time, creati...