Tips for College Freshman You Should Actually Know (from real college students)

Going to college can be overwhelming, here are the best college tips for college freshman that will prepare you for your freshman year in college! 

Tips for College Freshman

1. ALWAYS Eat before going out

There is truly never a time when not eating before you go out leads to something good. A lot of freshman experience being unleashed from your parents for the first time and with that comes making a lot of unwise decisions.... if you know what I mean. Make SURE you eat before you go out, or you'll regret it!

2. Don't wait for someone to introduce themselves to you, get the awkwardness over and do it first

You are going to run into a lot of awkward encounters, especially on your dorm floor, at the beginning of the school year. You'll be there walking past someone you're going to see all the time and in their head they're wondering if you're going to say something and I'm sure you're going to be thinking the same thing. Just get the awkwardness over with and say 'Hi! Do you live on this floor? My name is [insert your name]!' 

3. Not everyone you meet is going to be nice, that doesn't mean there's something wrong with you

There are a LOT of insecure, scared college students out there who are in survival mode. You are going to have to interact with people who are complete a-holes and that does not mean there is something wrong with you. It's a wakeup call to realize you are going to have to interact with unnecessarily rude people for the rest of your life. Feel sorry for them and move on!

4. Be Smart About Your Major

If you start out undecided that's totally fine. You're going to get asked what your major is all the time and it's hard not to have an answer. Know that you can switch it, most people do. Also, almost everyone doesn't know what the f they're doing so even if they confidently say they're ___ major, I can guarantee they're confused with what direction in life they want to go too. This is one of my top tips for college freshman!

Understand what jobs you can apply for after college with your major

A lot of freshman (and sophomores, juniors, and seniors) don't think about how their major will impact what jobs they can and can't apply to. For example, in general, if you're a psychology major, it's almost guaranteed you have to get a masters if you want to secure a well-paying job. You need to know what your job situation is going to look like after college or you could potentially screw yourself over. **It's also important to know that (for most majors) later into your career, the degree you have make almost nothing; employers just care about what jobs you've had. So this advice is mostly for right AFTER you graduate.

5. Don't wait for someone to want to be your friend, be the friend

Everyone is in the same boat and either knows nobody, pretends they know someone, or knows like ONE person (and they're going to latch onto that fact**). You're all in your own heads. Don't wait for someone to ask you to do something, be the one who makes plans. You'll become the social center if you put in the effort. **but you have to put in the effort !!!

What I keep in my college backpack:

6. Prepare for getting sick

You will 100000% get sick!! Take vitamins regularly, bring whatever medicine you take when you're sick with you. If you're a girl, bring a heating pad for that time of the month. Bring ADVIL (if you take advil-- I'm not a doctor so that's a suggestion). Also, take advantage of the health services (they may tell you 15x it's just a virus going around, but sometimes it's not! and they'll prescribe you the right medicine to take). 

7. Avoid Doordash, Ubereats, etc.

One of my top tips for college freshmen, If you are using your parents credit card and they don't care how much you spend, this tip isn't for you! If the money you spend is something you need to be aware of, go to the dining hall and eat. You do not need to Doordash, it ADDS up. I don't know why this is social currency, but for real, have some restraint and don't do it all the time. 

8. If you don't want to gain the freshman 15, you need to be conscious of what you're putting in your body

Most people gain weight they're freshman year and it's because they're drinking a lot (which is super caloric most of the time), doing other recreational activities, and then getting the munchies at night and eating a LOT. You gain weight when you eat more calories then your body needs, plain and simple. There will be some people you'll meet who can eat whatever they want and it will not affect their body size, but for most people, the calories add up. 

And if you do gain the freshman 15, don't worry, most people lose it when they're off their freshman year-long bender. Definitely funny advice for college freshman but I'm serious haha.

9. You will be homesick

It's going to happen. Every semester of college I tell myself I'll probably have 2-3 breakdowns lol. It helps me not feel like the world is fully over, if I've mentally prepared for them to happen. 

Life is not perfect all the time and freshman year is HARD. Some of the hardest years of your life will end up being the most fulfilling because you *did that sh*t and it wasn't easy. 

My freshman year roommate was a lot cooler than me, in one of the best sororities, and if I hadn't lived with her for a year, I would think she had the best life ever. However, I did live with her for a year and she cried a LOT. It was hard for her too. 

Don't be afraid, everyone at some point is going to feel sad, like they want to leave, no one likes them. etc. It's normal. One of my top tips for college freshman!

10. Be careful with how you wash your clothes

You may fall into the group of freshman who have never done their own laundry before! Welcome! Also, people might try to steal your clothes. I never had that problem, but be aware and try to stay and do homework at one of the tables to avoid unintentional and intentional stealing.

Also, use color-catching sheets when you wash your clothes. It will help them from getting stained (9/10). 

11. Not everyone is a girl's girl

Don't spill your secrets to everyone. People can be fake. Yes, being vulnerable is actually how you make deep friendships, but watch how someone talks about other people, in general what they say, etc. Don't tell everyone about EVERYTHING right away. 

12. Prepare for ALL different types of weather when packing

If you live in a place that gets a colder climate, be aware and make sure to bring clothing for that weather. It can be hard to think about winter when it's a completely different season, but you'll be mad at yourself when it suddenly become 10 degrees outside and you didn't pack a winter coat. 

13. Clubs are the easiest ways to make friends with the least initial effort

Don't get it twisted, you're going to have to DO things in the club, but it's the easiest way to congregate with people who are interested in the same things as you. Like some people say, being in a sorority is paying for friends (but a LOT turn into life long friends so maybe it's worth the money if you have it!). 

14. Try to avoid scheduling classes on Fridays

You'll learn most people try to NOT have classes on Fridays. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but in general, try to not have classes in the latter-half of the week.

15. The only way out is through

College can be hard. Plain and simple. You'll do poorly on some exams, lose friends, feel like you weren't treated fairly, miss your family and high school friends, and not know what the f you're going to do next year of after college. 

Everything works out. We're on a floating rock. It's not that serious. Try, focus on passing your classes and know, it's only 4 years of your life. You'll make it through. 

16. Ask the question in class, someone else is guaranteed to be thinking the same thing

I was in so many classes freshman year of college where no one wanted to raise their hand and ask the question. I can guarantee though there is someone who wants to know the same thing you are wondering yourself.

17. Don't judge your school the first semester

First semester is hard for everyone. I know so many people who hated the first semester of their freshman year, wanted to  transfer and ended up LOVING the school spring semester. Keep going. BUT if you get to March-ish and you still don't like the school and are miserable, looking into transferring does not mean you're a failure some schools aren't for everyone! *And sometimes college in general is not for everyone. It's only four years, you don't need it to define your life.

18. You're not behind, I PROMISE.

Whether it's romantically or educationally, I promise you're not behind and other people are in the same boat as you. Relax.

19. Use find my friends

Make sure someone has your location. It can start out as your parents, but you'll make friends and if you're out one night you can say 'hey let's share locations in case we get separated so someone knows you're safe.' Make it about them and they'll love it. Boom now you've made it to level two of friendship and someone also has your location for safety purposes!

20. Prioritize Sleep

You need to sleep otherwise you will internally AND externally suffer the consequences. If you're getting peer pressured to do stuff, just ignore the texts, and the next day say your phone died and you passed out. No one needs to know what you're doing 24/7. Also, be a little mysterious, it makes you elluring.

21. Use a planner and stay organized

I use The Dailee college planner, it's the best. You need to stay organized or you'll regret it and forgot a huge exam or SOMETHING that will make your life miserable for a few days.

22. Study tips for college freshman - Schedule 'study classes' into your days

One of my study tips for college freshman is to schedule time into your schedule as if they're classes, but really they're time for you to study and do homework. This will make it easy to not have to think about when you're going to study for your classes. One of my favorite tips for college freshman!

Tips for college freshman reddit is also a great place to find unhinged, but valuable tips!

22. College freshman roommate tips - if something bothers you, say it *casually, but asap

As soon as you move-in with your roommate, or even if you're talking before, make sure that you share your pet peeves with each other. It will save you a bunch of time. Share how cleaniness levels, etc. And SO IMPORTANT, if there's something that bothers you, or you guys need to discuss in order to live together, KINDLY say something asap otherwise it will 1. bother you, but 2. you'll build resentment and then when you finally do say something it'll be super awkward because it's obviously been going on forever. One of my top words of wisdom for college freshmen.