Are you gearing up to go to your first year of college? Are you scrambling to figure out what to expect? Trying to plan everything out? Well let me help you out as someone who just finished her first year as a pre-med student.

Tip #1

Relax. Stop worrying. I know that is much easier said than done, but just try not to worry. I was one of those who worried about everything and wanted it all to be perfect and have an exquisite plan. But I quickly found out that not everything is going to go according to plan, and that is not a bad thing. You will be able to go buy things at the store if there is something you forgot. You will still have access to online shopping to get anything you might want or need.

Just try to take it all in, there is going to be so much going on your first day, weekend, and week at college. But just try to take it all in, absorb all that you can get. Your first year of college is a one time experience, so just go with the flow, learn as much as you can, and don’t stress yourself out too much.

Tip #2

Yes, you do have to study. I know this seems obvious, but seriously this is something that I made a mistake about. If you’re like me, and didn’t need to study in high school and just skated through it all, I can assure you college is not the same.

To expand on that, you will have to try multiple study methods to try and find the one that suits you. Initially, you may struggle and your grades may not look the way you want them to, but it is okay. While I am not in medical school quite yet, one of the biggest pieces of advice that I got was that medical schools or any post-graduate schools are going to want to see growth. So if you didn’t do so hot in your first and second semester, thats okay, just make sure you learn so you can do better going forward.

Find what works for you. You may not find it right away, but there are so many different ways to study out there. You can study in groups, alone, on your device, on paper, rewrite notes, or just read the lecture slides. It will vary from class to class, but you will find what works for you. Just trust the process and trust yourself.

Tip #3

You do not have to worry about getting a job your first year. Personally, I worked as a CNA for the summer before I came to college. I tried to save all or most of my money so that I didn’t have to work. I definitely do not regret not working my first year.

Being away from home, experiencing new things, trying to figure out how college even works, its all a lot. And that’s okay, so don’t feel pressured into getting a job your first semester or year of college. Give yourself time to figure out how college works, how to manage your time, and to experience all of the things college has to offer.

While you do need money to buy pretty much anything and everything you may need, don’t let yourself get too stressed out about it. Money will come and go, it will do that for the rest of your life. So don’t stress too much, sometimes it’s okay to just let things work themselves out.

Tip #4

You don’t have to worry about meeting your forever friend group in your first year. Friends are going to come and go. You might meet someone who seems like the nicest person ever on your first day of college and you think you guys are going to be friends forever and then you might find out that they aren’t actually that nice. Don’t take it personally, just let it go.

If you don’t really find any friends in your first year, thats okay too, neither did I. You will find your people eventually so don’t worry about it too much. You can also try joining clubs or groups that have similar interests as you to help you find people who you might enjoy spending time with. No matter what happens, just take it one day at a time and know that it is okay.

Tip #5

Try to find yourself and grow, but don’t go too crazy. I know it might be your first taste of freedom and independence from your parents, but calm down. I’m not saying you can’t go do things that the “normal” college experience entails, but also remember why you are here. You are spending so much money on tuition, don’t let it go to waste.

It might take a while to find the right balance for you, but at least try to find it. Go have fun, but allow yourself time to study, do your homework, and rest. Still try to find hobbies that interest you. Go to your campus gym, start reading for fun, try pickle ball, or go outside. Whatever it is, just find things that make you happy, do something for yourself so you don’t get too overwhelmed.

Recap

Don’t worry too much, don’t stress yourself out. Remember that your first year of college is a learning experience all on it’s own. So learn from it, grow, and soak in all the new experiences. Find what works for you, do things that you enjoy, meet new people, and don’t let school be your whole life. College may seem like a big scary monster full of new things, but take it one day at a time. Everything will work out in the end. Trust and love yourself.

These are just my top 5 tips, but I have learned so much in my first year. If you would like to hear more tips on studying, personal growth, or anything relating to college, leave a comment or contact me via email.

As always, you are beautiful, you can do this, and I am proud of you! <3