Freshman Do’s and Don’ts

     By: Nikita Dennis 

Freshman year of college can be a challenge for most people. If you are someone who is going off to college out of state or out of the city, college can become your new home away from home and for a lot people, culture shock. 

      Let’s talk from an Historically Black College and University’s perspective, you may be thinking “I’m attending a college where people look like me and share the same culture as me, it’s no way it can be a culture shock.” Truth is just because you are black and attending a HBCU does not mean it’s not going to be a disoriented experience. For example, students who are from Chicago, IL may find that attending Alabama State University can be a culture shock to them simply because people in the state of Alabama do things much differently than people in Chicago. 

       A lot of students get to college and tend to go wild because they think they have the freedom to do the things they were never free to do while in high school, and that is true, which is why it may be a struggle for you to control the freedom you are given in college. And then there are students who get to college and are completely lost and don’t know where to begin, such as making friends, looking for a mentor, having a hard time finding your classes on the first day, and most importantly missing family back home. But all of this falls into the same category, which is why the Hot Spot is here to help you find your way through college by giving you 5 freshman do's and don'ts for college. 

 1. DON’T procrastinate class work. 

         It is super easy to procrastinate class work and put your education on the backseat because we let procrastination get in the way. When it comes the time for midterms and finals, you will suddenly regret procrastinating homework you could have done in the beginning of the term to help get you that extra grade and a lot of times professors believe there is no such thing as make-up work or extra credit.

2. DO organize your work.

      Planning out your main priorities such as homework, studying, test dates, etc. is essential for college. Provide yourself with a planner to write down what it is you have to do everyday. It is imperative that you write down deadlines your professors give. You will have multiple classes with different agendas and writing in your planner is a great tool so you won’t get lost or stressed while in college, which leads to the next don’t.  

3. DON’T stress and cause yourself to give up. 

       College is not an easy process, when you find yourself stressing over a test, doubting yourself, missing family, and want to just go home and give up remember your purpose for attending college. College is not for everyone, but if you know in you heart it is for you and you have a reason to attend college find ways to keep yourself motivated. Write out a list of goals for yourself and at the end of the list write a positive quote or scripture, hang it up somewhere in your dorm to remind yourself everyday that you have a purpose and challenge yourself to achieve your goals. This is great way to stay positive through the good and bad times in college. 

4. DO Get out of your dorm and meet people.

        This one is for the shy people entering college and like to hide in their dorm rooms. You don’t get the true college experience if you go straight to class and back to your dorm everyday . College is for you to learn how to network with people and make connections for your future career. Joining different clubs and organizations on campus can be a great way to connect and meet people. Networking with upperclassman to see what internships they have done for their major and which professors they have taken can be in your best interest for when you move forward. 

5. DON’T let friendships distract your education. 

       You have to always remember your main focus while in college. Getting caught up in friendships can be a big distraction for your education. Truth is you have to remember which one comes first and set boundaries. A lot of time the friends you make your freshman year may not be your friends when you graduate.       Some friendships are meant to last a little while, especially in college, and we need to be thankful for them because we learn who we are and what we are worth.        However, everyone deserves to feel welcomed and important, find someone who is like minded like you and has the same focus as you, and don’t settle for friends who can become toxic in your life. And it is always important to speak up when you need to and say “NO” to certain situations.