Welcome to the life of an adult! As a college freshman, you are expected to live like an adult for the first time in your life. With living on your own there comes a lot of responsibility and as daunting as it is, there’s only a few steps needed to take for you to feel like you’re doing something right.
First, you need to forget some of the stereotypes associated with being a college student. Let’s debunk some of them!
- No, you don’t have to eat instant ramen noodles
- You don’t have to party every night, unless you want to
- You don’t have to be cheap (but your student loans won’t pay themselves)
- You don’t have to be a procrastinator (some of us are just really, really busy)
Now that you have (I would hope) disassociated yourself from these stereotypes, it is time you learn to live on your own.
- Make your bed. Completing one simple task, at the beginning of the day will encourage you to stay productive and engage in healthy habits for the rest of the day. And if not, at least you’ll have accomplished one thing!
- File your taxes. Need I say more?
- Avoid pulling all-nighters, especially the night before a test. Contrary to popular belief, sleep is NOT for the weak. Sleep is crucial for your brain to function properly, so unless you have absolutely no choice, go to sleep.
- Ask for help! Go to your professors’ office hours. You will have your questions answered and build a relationship with your professor. Those recommendation letters aren’t going to write themselves!