A lot of us feel excited (and lost) when we start our college journey.
Nakakalito kadalasan ang unang araw, whether you will wear your uniform (I was one of the few who wore our uniform noong first day, nakakahiya! Hahaha!) or where will you meet with your new classmates.
But I think that that is the thrill in starting this new chapter of our lives. Some of us has to really start from scratch and take a step full of risks and fright.
So here are some of the tips that I can share with you so you won’t end up being completely clueless of the university life, and actually enjoy your first year!
1. Breathe! You don’t need to ace it all in the first day.
I think most of the pressure and disappointments come from this. We are so excited to push our limits and test our capabilities against other students from different high schools.
But the truth is that college is not a battle field. Instead of taking all the pressure into your system to be the best, why don’t you calm down?
Remember that this is a new journey and it gets exciting every day. You don’t have to be the best in the first day.
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2. Attend orientations.
This is a must! Don’t be absent on the college orientations! Think of them as your instructions before you play a game.
Mahalaga ito dahil malalaman mo rin ang mga pasikot-sikot ng school na papasukan mo, the culture, and in general, how life works inside it.
Also, this is a great chance for you to meet new people! Chika-chika ka lang sa katabi mo sa orientation!
3. If you have the chance, tour the university! (virtually)
Lucky us, noong unang araw naming ay nai-tour naman kami kaya medyo nagging familiar ako sa university namin. But how will this help you?
Well, literal na hindi ka mawawala if you know the spots in your uni. At the same time, you and your mates can set a particular place to hang out for the first few weeks right before you master the entire school!
In this time of the pandemic, it may not help you right away but having a virtual tour and searching the net about the landmarks of your university might help you when things go back to normal!
4. Do NOT be afraid to ask!
Whether that’s about your section, your courses, or where will you meet your instructors, do not be afraid to ask. This will avoid confusion when it comes to schedules and other instructions. If something is not clear, ask your closest friend kaysa sa manghula ka sa next step to take. Don’t worry, we all started from step 1 so hindi masama magtanong!
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5. List down the things you learned.
This isn’t only applicable inside the classroom. You can also keep a handy-dandy notepad so you can put there your schedule, the next class’ location, the name of your seatmate in this particular course and if possible, their contact number and Facebook account. If you learned about this place where you eat your lunch (since may mga stalls and restaurants na p’wedeng kainan in some universities), list it down so when you go back to your dorm or house, you can recall these things and create a routine until you can completely adjust.
6. Think about the organizations you join!
This is an unpopular opinion but take it from me!! (Double exclamation para intense haha!) Most of your seniors would tell you to go and try being part of organizations while you’re still a first year student kasi raw baka hindi mo na maranasan kapag nagging busy ka in your later college years.
While that may be true but hear me out, joining organizations would really demand commitment from you. And if you are a first year student who just entered the university, this may not be the best step to take. Instead, you can start creating relationships within your class then your department mates and so on. Note that you can still join organizations but not the big ones siguro unless you are completely ready.
I experienced it first hand and my academics, my extra-curricular activities, my sanity got all juggled up! Kapag naka-adjust ka na, that is the best time siguro!
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7. Get out of your box!
This is one thing college life will teach you. You have to explore outside your comfort zone or else you will be eaten alive by the overwhelming shock of this life chapter. Of course, this is easier said than done, but what I hope for you is that you at least try. Try to initiate conversations, try to be less shy, and whatnot. Just try. You have no idea how your decisions can affect the rest of your college life!
These tips are just some of the things that I learned when I was a first year student. Some of them may not fit you but I hope that you still will try. For all the upcoming college students out there, it might be confusing (and scary) to start this journey but trust me, once you get the routine, you will start enjoying it.
For now, shrug off the pressure, and get ready as a new chapter of your life unfolds.
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