FRESHMAN YEAR
CHECKLIST
Time to say goodbye to high school and hello
to a whole new world! Here are some tips to
make your freshman year a success:
DON’T STAY STUCK IN HIGH SCHOOL.
Whether you’re staring your college career with some
high school besties or braving a whole new world alone,
don’t get stuck in the high school rut. Branch out by
getting to know the new people, and fight the temptation to come home to your familiar routine every
weekend.
HOLD OFF ON BUYING YOUR BOOKS.
It’s tempting to go immediately to the campus bookstore
and start rounding up all of your first college textbooks
before your first semester officially begins. But once
you get to your first day of class you may be in for a
surprise when you find you’ve made an unnecessary
(and expensive!) purchase. Wait to hear directly from
your professor what books you’ll need, and remember to
check online for better prices, too!
DON’T SKIP TOO MANY CLASSES.
Yes, even the 8 a.m. ones. It’s easy to get carried away
with the freedom that college provides when it comes
to class attendance, but just trust us on this one. You
(or your parents) are paying a hefty price tag for the
instruction, so don’t make the rookie mistake of wasting
a semester and wrecking your GPA.
GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
Now is the time! Explore new clubs and new hobbies.
If you try a new activity and find that it’s not for you,
check it off your list and move on to the next fun
possibility. These four years will go by faster than you
think, so make the most of them.
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Summer 2016
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE AWESOME
STUDENT DISCOUNTS.
Most stores have one! You can also get great discounts
at most movie theaters, on Amazon Prime, and even
with your cell phone carrier. Another tip: Register at
www.studentrate.com for tons of great student deals!
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
It’s tempting to overindulge with all of this new freedom, and there isn’t exactly a gym class where you’re
forced to be active for an hour each day. You’re in charge
of your own health and wellbeing now! Make yourself
eat something green every once in a while instead of
living off pizza and Easy Mac, and try to get to the gym
or go for a run occasionally. Your body and brain will
thank you!
BE SMART WITH YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
Now that you’re an adult and somewhat independent,
you may be thinking that you can do and post whatever
you want. But keep in mind that in a few short years,
you’ll be looking to start a career, and chances are that
your employer will be checking you out on social media.
Once you post something online it never really goes
away, so don’t let one post ruin your chances.
CALL YOUR MOM AND DAD. You might think
their phone calls and texts are sometimes annoying,
but they miss you more than you know. Check in with
them at least once a week, and don’t ignore their calls
and texts too often. Besides, the number of times you
call home often directly correlates with the chances that
they’ll let you bring home your dirty laundry.
www.potentialmagazine.com