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You have chosen a school. You have sent in your deposit. You have packed your bags and said goodbye to your family.
Now what? 
Every year, thousands of high school graduates leave home for college filled with a million questions. Did I pick the right school? Am I going to find friends? What are my classes going to be like?
If you are college bound, there are several things you can do to prepare for your journey. As my sister, Mallory, a sophomore at the University of Georgia, says, "You are going out on your own and you have to take care of yourself. It's a little frightening."
6 steps to a smooth freshman transition
1.) Know what you are in for.
When you leave for college, you discover a tremendous amount of freedom. But with this freedom, there is a lot of responsibility. This is where most freshmen make their biggest mistakes. Your Mom is not there to clean your room or to eat your vegetables. Sydney Baranovitz, a freshman at the University of Arizona, moved clear across the country for school and says getting used to living with two other girls was a huge transition in itself. You are in charge of your actions, whether it be yelling at your roommate for blaring Michael Jackson at 7 a.m. or eating pizza for every meal.
Your strategy: Compromise.
"If I eat this piece of pizza, I will eat a side of broccoli." or "If I let you play your music at 7 am, will you let me watch TV at 11 pm?" Don't let yourself get carried away and keep everything in moderation.
2.) Stay balanced.
One of the most difficult things about college is balancing your social life and your education. When making decisions about how to spend your time, keep in mind your larger life goals. Often students put off their schoolwork right away, when spreading it out throughout the semester is the key. Devin Lincenberg, a freshman at the University of Michigan, says, "Start studying from day 1. Before you know it, midterms will arrive...You do not want to get behind."
Your strategy: Practice time management.
Make a physical schedule of all your commitments, including classes, club meetings, work and studying. Looking at the week as a whole can help you see how much free time you have, so you won't overcommit yourself. You can even multitask your schedule by inviting new friends to go to eat, go to the gym or to form study groups.
3.) Consider taking a lighter course load.
Many students are so anxious to jump in that they register for the maximum amount of classes. Consider taking the least amount of courses possible your first semester of your freshman year. Often, you can stay a full-time student with 12 or 14 credits, as opposed to the 16 to 18 that most students take. You can always add an extra class onto your second semester, or you may be able to get away without it if you took AP classes or college credits in high school.
Your strategy: Take courses of interest.
In high school, you can often take classes at a local university in preparation for college. Once you get to college, try to take a few classes you think you can do well in, thus boosting confidence. Unless your particular program has a plan for you, start by taking general education classes that coincide with your interests or talents. Do not force yourself to take extremely hard classes or load up on calculus and neuroscience if you don't have an affinity for those subjects.
4.) Utilize your resources.
In college and even in high school, there are many resources available to help make your transition easier: counselors, RAs, advisors and health professionals. At most universities, these resources are part of your tuition and are underutilized by students. Sydney says that "the second you start having trouble with a subject, find out about tutors." She says she found that her residential community, advisors and professors provided her with all of the help she needed, once she sought them out. Unfortunately, many students fail to do so.
Your strategy: Know whom to contact.
Look for a professor who can connect with you, who wants you to grow and seems informed about your particular field. Sometimes you are given an academic advisor who does not understand your needs and goals. Devin says that her advisor told her she needed to take a class that was not actually required. If you have doubts about the help you are getting, seek a second opinion and change advisors when you find a professor you can trust.
5.) Get involved with one major activity.
When you arrive at college, you will no doubt be approached with hundreds of opportunities. Universities have an average of 400 clubs and organizations, not to mention athletics and Greek life. Getting involved is a huge help when getting acclimated to school, because you can meet people with common interests and make connections with older students who can often offer advice and wisdom.
Your strategy: Follow your interests.
Find a group that you can really dedicate yourself to, and instead of joining ten clubs like you did in high school, put most of your effort into one organization. Sydney says, "It makes the school seem smaller and makes you feel like you have a place!" If you don't find a club that suits you, start your own.
6.) Break free of the past.
Homesickness is a common problem that students have, whether it's missing your house, your high school friends, or even just your hometown. While your friends in high school may be your best friends, you will definitely miss out on meeting amazing people in college if you are constantly hiding in your dorm room calling your friends and family.
Cameron Schwartz, a junior at the University of Georgia, says, "In preparing for college, stay away from [your] parents for an extended period of time - just to get used to not seeing them everyday." If you are nervous about leaving friends and family, you might take a summer study abroad program during high school to give you an idea of what college will be like. Besides, you can always ask mom to send you care packages!
Your strategy: Be open to new experiences.
Although it can be difficult, especially if your parents live near your school, don't go home every weekend. You should keep in touch with old friends and your family, but make a conscious effort to make a connection with people at your college. You may find you actually like college!
While many students are nervous about their transition, most come home for Christmas break with tons of stories, new friends and new plans. Even though being in a new place may seem difficult, remember that everyone else is in the same boat and you are all starting over. Smile and if you don't like what you are doing, change it. College is what you make of it, after all, and you hold the keys to your happiness and success.
Like this article on the Freshman Transition? Let our intern Alexa know. Email alexa@campuscalm.com and don't forget to check out her website here.
About the author:
Maria Pascucci is the President of Campus Calm –
the award-winning online-forum for today's stressed-out students, and
their parents and educators. Download your Stress-Less Kit with 4 FREE
gifts at www.campuscalm.com.
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