Starting College? Read this.
By: Brian Werbly
Tags: Freshman, Career Advice, College, High School, Adulthood

See an academic advisor before signing up for classes.

College is a matter of fulfilling course requirements so that you can move on to the next course and get. that. degree. Don’t make the mistake of signing up for classes you don’t need, or worse, wasting tuition money and prolonging your college journey. An academic advisor will help you map out the next few years of your life so that you only take the classes you need, while also throwing in some courses that interest you. Don’t be afraid of vising your advisor. The only reason why they are employed by the college or the university is so that you can utilize them! Rule of thumb, always see your advisor before you enroll, drop, or swap a course.

2. Fill out FAFSA on day one.

If you live in the United States, college is expensive! Also, if you live in the United States, we have a federal financial aid called FAFSA. This service allows you to receive grants and loans based on your parents’ income level, or in certain cases, your own income level. It is important to understand that you should fill out the FAFSA application in the October before starting college. Word on the street is that the earlier you fill out this application, the more financial aid you will recieve. Just do it. Don’t put it off. It is the easiest money you will ever make.

3. How to choose your major.

Okay. This one is kind of hypocritical of me. I ended up changing my major around five times. I am telling you this so you do not encounter the same mistakes as me. If I would have known what major I would have ended up with, I could have save myself a lot of time, heartache, and tears. Now you ask, how do I know what I should major in? The answer is simple. What career do you want? Choose your career based on your interests, not your major. Your major is a stepping stone to put you closer to pursuing the career you want. A quick Google search can tell you which major is the best for your intended career, but also visit the Career Center at your school. As always, discuss your options with an academic advisor.

4. Strategic living arangements.

In my head, college is idealized as this place where you move out of your parents’ home and live in an apartment with roomates. For me, I would die before I co-habituated with another person like that. I lived at my parents’ house for all of college, and it has its pros and cons, but I suggest that you choose the cheapest (and safest) living option available. You do not want to rack up loans and accrue interest on said loans when you do not need to. Your future self will thank you for saving money. In some cases, you may not have the option to live with your parents during college, and that is fine as long as you find cheap living elsewhere. Set a budget and stick to it!

5. Join clubs!

This very well might be the most important tip I have for you. Join clubs! Clubs in college are nothing like clubs in high school. The clubs you join in college do not define your standing on the social hierarchy of your university. In fact, there really is no such thing as a “popular” person in college. No one cares about you. Joining clubs in college should be solely based on your interests and desire to meet new people with similar interests. You will have a much better time in college if you get involved with clubs early on, I guarantee it. Unlike in high school, people in the chess club are actually pretty cool.