This post, written by Jana at Daily Money Shot, is part of the Yakezie blog swap series, Best Tip for College Freshmen. If you have a chance, take a peek at Daily Money Shot as well as some of the other great Yakezie bloggers who spend time selflessly supporting others and spreading their vast financial knowledge across the blogosphere.
Dear New College Freshman,
Congratulations on starting your college career! This is an exciting time in your life. It’ll be 4 (or 5) years of your life you’ll love and (mostly) remember fondly. But I understand that you may be a experiencing a little anxiety about life away from home, particularly the “getting schoolwork done” part of it. I know because, once upon a time, I was in your shoes.
When I started was a college freshman in 1995 (yes, it was that long ago. I know. I’m old.), I had no idea what to expect. As a natural born planner who detests surprises, having no clue what to expect was the cause of many nights filled with apprehension and, occasionally, excitement. It’s not that I was nervous about leaving home; I had done that every summer for 7 years. Leaving my parents and my little sisters was the easy part. Packing was easy. Living on my own was easy. Buying stuff I needed was really easy! I was pretty confident that I would make friends. What was causing me the most stress was thinking about how I was going to manage my schoolwork with all the fun that the movies promised.
If you have parents like mine, they’ll expect you to go to class and get decent, if not good, grades and they tell you (constantly) that you are at school, first and foremost, to learn! But college is confusing! When you arrive, classes are not in session. Instead, you’ll spend time moving into your cramped dorm room, amazed at how much stuff can be stored in a room smaller than a jail cell. You’ll take the first few days to learn the layout of the campus–where the classroom buildings are, where the fraternity houses are (partying is important), where the dining hall is (eating is also important especially if you’re doing the aforementioned partying. Trust me on this one). You’ll spend time getting to know your roommate and hallmates (it’s OK if you don’t like your roommate. You probably won’t see much of him/her anyway). It’ll be just like camp.
Then, before you know it, classes will start and you’ll be subjected to…school! Professors! Learning! It’s an awful, sinking feeling and you’ll start to stress that you’ll never be able to manage all the work and still have fun. But I promise you it’s possible. Here’s what you do:
1.
1. Get a good planner. Whether it’s a paper calendar, your iPhone, or a Google document, just get a good calendar that you’ll have easy access to.
1. Get a good planner. Whether it’s a paper calendar, your iPhone, or a Google document, just get a good calendar that you’ll have easy access to.
2.
2. Gather all of your syllabi. Write down, on your calendar, when you have papers due, exams, etc. Set reminders on your phone or email for these due dates.
2. Gather all of your syllabi. Write down, on your calendar, when you have papers due, exams, etc. Set reminders on your phone or email for these due dates.
3.
3. Try to designate a certain time every day to get your work done and make sure it’s in an environment where you can concentrate. For some people, that’s the library. For others, it’s their dorm room. Just do whatever works for you. And when you’re studying, stay far, far away from Facebook, Twitter and their time sucking ilk.
3. Try to designate a certain time every day to get your work done and make sure it’s in an environment where you can concentrate. For some people, that’s the library. For others, it’s their dorm room. Just do whatever works for you. And when you’re studying, stay far, far away from Facebook, Twitter and their time sucking ilk.
4. Go to class, at least most of the time. I fared much better in the classes I attended than the ones I didn’t.
That’s it. That’s how you get your work done on time and pass your classes. By planning out your study schedule and knowing when you have due dates will allow you to work your fun around your academics. And it will make the fun all that more fun because you won’t have the sinking feeling of “Oh, crap, I have a paper due in 4 hours” (not that I know this from personal experience). I know that you were hoping for some good, solid financial advice. I wish I could provide it for you. The sad fact is this: I am not a role model for your financial life. Don’t do anything I did. Stay away from credit cards.
Don’t take cash from your friends and then put it on your card (because you will not use that money to pay off what you spent). Live far, far away from an ATM machine or have your banking through a bank that will charge ridiculous fees if you use another bank’s machine. Have a part-time job and use that money wisely. Be educated about loans and grants. Listen to the financial advice you’re given about keeping your debt low.
But whether you’re dealing with schoolwork or finances, the key is to just relax. Try not to get too overwhelmed. Do your best. You’ll eventually figure out a system that works for you, even if it takes a semester or two. And always remember the sage advice from Uncle Ben (Lewis Black, in Accepted):
What is learning? It’s paying attention. It’s opening yourself up to this great big ball of sh!t that we call life, and what’s the worst that could happen? You get bit in the a$$.
Well let me tell you: my a$$ looks like hamburger meat, but I can still sit down!
Best of luck, New College Freshman!
–-Your glad to help Aunt Daily Money Shot
8 Comments
Make your decision about books early! Whether you buy used, rent or share, work it out early so you have choices.
Great post. Loved the style of a letter. I like your point about going to class. It always amazes me what people pay for tuition just to throw it away and skip class.
@krantcents–that’s a good point about books. Student and their parents are usually stunned by the price of books. Planning it out early provides less of a sticker shock.
@Miss T–thanks! I didn’t even think about the money wasted when students don’t go to class. It was something that always surprised me, too. What I noticed, though, is that for the most part, the kids whose parents were paying skipped more class than those who paid themselves.
I really like how you focused on studying in college. It’s so important to actually go to class and get good grades. Unlike public school, you have to pay for those classes! Might as well do your best! You never know when those college grades will make the difference in the future; either in being selected as a job candidate or continuing on in education. Thanks Jana, for these great tips!
Nicely done letter. Along with the “don’t take cash and put it in your card”, don’t EVER cosign for anyone else, not your friend, girl friend, no one. It is one thing to pay off your debt, but totally different and more painful to pay off someone elses.
@Suba–Amen! A lesson I learned the very hard way.
@Little House–Thanks for hosting me!
I really enjoyed this letter. Going to college is part of the process of learning to be independent, both in managing your time and your money.
Freshmen!!! One of the scariest yet exciting part of school days and freshmen year. Meeting new acquaintances, getting familiar with the school’s rules and buildings and subjects and rooms. Later on you will enjoy and reminisce the moment of being so innocent..