As May 20th gets closer and closer, I am sure that most of our seniors are really starting to realize that our high school journey is coming to an end. Many of us will be joining the military, others will really start to work on and expand their trade, but most of us will be planning on enrolling in either a two-year or a four-year college this summer. And I know that those of us that are going to college are excited to really spread your wings and leave the nest, but there are some things that you need to look out for especially in our first years of college. 

Starting college might be exciting but here are some things that might not want to do while you are there.

DON’T : Procrastinate on schoolwork

One thing that I can say really made high school hard was my ability to procrastinate up to literally the last minute. So one thing I recommend going into college is to really keep up with your work and maybe have study groups with your classmates in case you are having any troubles.

DONT : Hide in your dorm room.

College is a place where you are put in a small or big campus with mainly strangers. Maybe instead of going right back to your dorm after class, take the time to talk to some people and make some friends. 

DON’T : Get lazy.

Exercise is important when going off to live by yourself essentially. I know that it is tempting to sleep the whole day on weekends but maybe set aside a few hours to get up, walk around the campus or a local park, find a spot to do some yoga. Just make sure it isn’t too secluded.

DON’T : Be afraid of your professor.

When in doubt ask for help. You don’t need to have a full on relationship with your professor but there is no need to be shy. They are there to help you and who knows, they could be a great choice for recommendations. 

DON’T : Buy your books from the bookstore!

Buying college textbooks is the biggest scam in education. There are so many different websites on which you came actually rent the book or access it for free. One of those websites is http://www.chegg.com/. On this website you are able to monthly rent a book and cancel anytime you want.

DON’T : Party too hard.

Enjoying your time in college is a given. No one is telling you not to party, but please don’t be one of those people who can’t remember anything they did last night. If you are drunk, you are more easily taken advantage of in every regard. So when you do go out at least make sure you have a designated driver and ALWAYS watch your drink.

DO: Try new things

College is all about getting out of your comfort zone. Join a club or try something you’ve never thought you would. You might not end up loving it but at least you can say you tired it!

DO: Feel confident.

Sometimes you might be in a class with other people who might make you feel, well, dumb, but just know that YOU were also accepted into the same college as them, so you can’t be that far behind. 

DO: Keep contact with family.

Make sure not to get too caught up in the freedom of college and remember to check up on your family. This is not only a challenge for you but for them. They are probably missing their daughter/son so an occasional text or call would brighten their day.

DO: Set a budget!

I know it’s easy to want to keep spending and the feeling of taking care of yourself is amazing but always remember to set a limit for yourself. College ain’t cheap, so every penny that you can save counts.

DO: Explore the town.

There are always free and cheap ways to explore the town that you are in.  It gives you a different perspective of where you’re living and it’s also a great way to step away from schoolwork and have a nice little break.

DO: Find out where your classes are before your first day.

Make sure to walk around campus about a week before classes just to make sure you aren’t late on your first day. Nothing says “I’M A FRESHMAN” louder than being late to class on the first day.

Naturally these aren’t all of the things that you should look out for during college but it is a good start. College is all about learning who you are and what you want to do for the rest of your life. So you have to learn things for yourself. But I’m sure that if you follow all of these tips that you will be on the right track to living your best college life!