Ensuring A Win In The First Year Of College and Then AfterCollege Planning Center and Guides

Most new college students are familiar with the “Freshman 15.”

That’s the amount of weight many college students gain after their first year of undergraduate studies.

There are a lot of reasons why many first-year college students gain weight — including cafeteria food, lots of late-night pizza and drinking beverages they shouldn’t be drinking.

The one common thread in all of these factors, however, is that college freshmen often overindulge because they’re in charge of their lives for the first time.

As they gain more responsibilities and more control over how they live, many college freshmen see this as an opportunity to break loose and do all the things they’ve always wanted to do. Although the “Freshman 15” is a visual reminder of this, there are other ways a college freshman’s newfound sense of freedom can do more harm than good.

Many college freshmen spend their first semesters living it up, which can take a serious toll on their studies. Making new friends and discovering new interests and passions is an important part of the college experience, to be sure, but too much socializing and recreation can derail a student’s coursework and make ensuing semesters more difficult than they should be.

To help first-year college students from shooting themselves in the feet, here are some basic tips to keep in mind during that all-important first semester.

Stick to a schedule —

The impulse to stay out all night may be strong, but a lack of sleep makes it difficult to focus during those early-morning classes that are a hallmark of freshman life. Weekends may be a different story, but try to honor the idea of “school nights.”
Get some exercise —

Staying fit is important not only for your physical health, but also for relieving stress and regulating your mood — making it easier to concentrate on your studies. It also means you’re less likely to fall prey to the “Freshman 15.”
Stay focused —

Living in the 21st century means it’s never been easier to be distracted, thanks to smartphones, video games and the Internet. Taking a break every now and then is good to help you retain what you’re learning, but binge-watching a season of a TV show crosses the line into “procrastination” territory.
Be prepared —

Meticulous preparation for your first year of college can help you from being overwhelmed by the experience once school begins.

The infographic below contains some tips students can follow to help them get ready for college.

College Planning Timeline by Sojourn Academy

Author Bio:
Katherine Parker is the Communication Director at Sojourn Academy, and she is also the mother of two Academy students who have been at the school since 2010. Her degree is in Mathematics from the University of the South, a liberal arts university where she learned the benefits of receiving a liberal arts education, which is what a true classical education is meant to be. The Christian classical education approach of Sojourn Academy has provided her daughters with the exceptional education one should expect a child to receive, and she has become an enthusiastic proclaimer of this traditional education method and the traditional school setting offered.

Image Credit: Pixabay

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