The Fresher's Guide to Not Messing Up

“Fresher”, “Bloody fresher”, “Freshman”, and “Jambite” best believe that these tags are following you till you reach your second year.

So, hello freshman welcome to the real world! 

Whether you were a baller in high school, the life of the party or you were very reserved, university/ college offers you the opportunity to start afresh and best believe that it is nothing like where you are coming from, the people, the lecturers, the environment and the freedom. It can be both exciting and overwhelming, and therefore, a lot of freshers make avoidable mistakes. However, to help you transition smoothly, we are going to be holding your hands, so fasten your seat belts, as this is the ultimate fresher's guide to not messing up.

Choose Advice Wisely

As a freshman, you’ll meet several people who are eager to advise you. While this advice can be helpful, you have to filter the advice you choose to listen to and trust because people offer advice based on their own experiences and perceptions. Experiences are different, and perceptions can be wrong. 

Create a Routine

Now that you are almost fully in control of your time, to be productive daily you will need to create a routine and stick with it. When you should wake up when you should go to classes, and most especially, a study routine.

Having a routine helps you to know what to do at a particular time thereby managing your workload effectively and avoiding unnecessary agitations.

Engage in and Attend Lectures

To achieve a lot academically, you have to actively participate in classes. Make it a habit to attend all your lectures, this has to be said because you can now freely choose if you want to attend a class or not. Be prepared for your lectures, ask questions when you need clarifications and contribute to class discussions. Being engaged in the learning process will enhance your understanding and make studying enjoyable.

Start Studying Early

This might seem like an obvious tip, but when activities and events start trooping in, you have to consciously and intentionally remind yourself to study. Don’t let your lecture notes pile up, and don’t get carried away with the newfound freedom that you are experiencing. Studying early prepares you for emergencies and unforeseen contingencies. 

Connect and build Relationships

Don’t be a lone ranger, we repeat do not be a lone ranger. University does not focus on people who are book-intelligent but on people who have all the needed information. One thing you don’t want to be is uninformed, so be sure to reach out and build relationships with your classmates, seniors and maybe even lecturers. You can read further on the importance of building networks and connections here

Take Care of Your Health

According to WHO, Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. University life can be and is demanding, so it’s of vital importance that you take care of yourself. Sometimes all you need is sleep, so get enough sleep, don’t skip meals, and make time for relaxing self-care activities, going to concerts, watching a play or anything.

Find a Balance

You’ve probably heard of balance a lot of times but now you’ll need to implement it. Your academics are important and shouldn’t be substituted for anything; your religious beliefs and activities also hold some sort of importance to you, and the same with your social life. Hence, you have to find a way to balance all these and avoid burnout. You can read further on ways to maintain a balance between school and extracurricular here

Embrace the New Experience

University is a different ball game entirely, you get to see and experience new things.  You can join clubs, organisations, and sports teams or participate in community service activities; this will enrich your university journey, provide opportunities for your personal growth and expose you to like-minded individuals. You can read our blog post on finding your tribe here.

In Conclusion, yes university is a different ball game entirely but by following this guide best believe that you are on a right path.

Once again, welcome freshman!