20 Mistakes College Freshmen Make

If you’re reading this, you’re probably an incoming freshman. And I was like you a year ago, when my college journey started. I can’t tell you exactly how college is going to be like, but I can tell you it is like a rollercoaster. There are happy moments, sad moments, scary moments and moments when you just want to drop out and become a stripper. I’ve been there. And I think, the first year of college is the scariest one because of all the changes, but because of that, it is also the most exciting one. Maybe you’ll be moving to another city away from your family, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll be living on campus, maybe you won’t. No matter what you do or don’t do, you’re going to make some mistakes. I did too, so here is a roundup of some common mistakes college freshmen make.

Not getting involved

A lot of college students (including me) don’t get involved enough around campus. Getting involved Â means going to campus activities, joining organizations or doing community service. If I hadn’t joined a sorority I wouldn’t have been involved on campus at all. And to be honest, I would have missed out on so much. So get involved! You’ll make friends, while doing what you like.

I actually joined a couple organizations at the beginning of the year, but I stopped attending meetings because I was staring to feel overwhelmed with everything I had to do. And later I realized that time wasn’t a problem. I had enough time, but I sucked at managing my time. Which brings me to the second mistake…

Not managing your time the right way

As I said before, my first semester I struggled managing my time. So I decided to buy an agenda and actually use it. Not only, I had more free time, but I felt more accomplished. I stopped procrastinating and feeling so overwhelmed and I started getting things done. After that I became a ~little~ obsessed with my agenda. I became an agenda freak. I would literally schedule time to have lunch with a friend, to go to the gym, to eat, and even to sleep. And that is maybe a little but obsessive, because if you read my agenda you would know everything I did during the day.

But to sum everything up, you have to learn how to manage your time, because college can be so overwhelming sometimes. And you just have to suck it up and get everything done.

Overestimating the size of your dorm

I know we all can get a little bit carried away with dorm shopping, but the truth is, dorms are tiny. So don’t buy a lot of things because you might not actually need everything you’re buying and maybe not everything will fit in your dorm.

I know everyone wants their dorm room to be as aesthetic as possible, and you’re probably looking for dorm room decor ideas all day on Pinterest. But the truth is, at the end it doesn’t matter than much.

Quick tip: Know what you shouldn’t bring to college. You don’t want to buy something only to find out it isn’t allowed in residential halls.

Going Wild

While going wild once in a while can be a lot of fun, doing it all the time or every single weekend is a huge mistake. Your grades will suffer and so will you. I’ve heard so many stories about freshmen partying every single day for the first semester they literally failed their classes.Â And I know it can be so tempting to go out and have fun with your friends, but you need to set your priorities straight. You’re going to college to learn and to get a degree in a major you choose, not in binge drinking.Â And I’m not telling you, you should study 24/7. I’m saying you should find a way to balance your social life and your responsibilities as a college student.

Also, don’t underestimate the jungle juice, it is stronger than you think.

And, on the other hand, another mistake is also…

Studying and focusing on your classes 24/7

Yes, you’re in college to study. And, yes your grades are important. But if you’re studying 24/7, you’re missing out on so much. Go out, party, have fun, go out with your friends or have a movie night, have lunch with friends, join clubs, go greek or volunteer. . There is so much you can do in college besides studying. There is a life outside of the library and your dorm, so loosen up a little bit (or a lot) and have fun! Make the most out of your college experience.

Which brings me to mistake #6 which is…

Hiding in your dorm

I made this mistake so many times and it’s not because I was actually hiding, but because I sometimes would rather stay in and be alone than out there with friends. What can I say, I’m kinda introverted. And, sometimes I felt like I was missing out.

So don’t hide in your dorm, make friends and make memories. Also read this guide to survive your freshman year of college.

Wearing your high school jacket

You’re in college now.

Not doing laundry

Everyone hates doing laundry, including me. If you just avoid it for as long as you can, there’s going to come the time where you won’t have clean clothes anymore. And you’ll probably wear dirty clothes, because you won’t have time to do laundry and you’ll be too lazy to do it. And the worst feeling is finding out that, that super cute shirt you were planning to wear on a night out is dirty… So my advice is: don’t be lazy and do laundry as soon as you have time to do it.

Not using your school resources

Another mistake college freshmen make is not using the resources. Resources like, tutoring, the gym, a pool and everything or almost everything, your school has to offer is already billed within your tuition. So take advantage of what you’re basically paying for. You’ll find out what your school has to offer at orientation and if you don’t, just go online.

Procrastinating

I’m going to admit it, I am a huge HUGE procrastinator. I don’t think I even have to explain this one. Just don’t waste your time procrastinating. Because college life is a busy life and you’ll need to get things done.

Not going to class

I was taking an easy class my first semester. And since I had an A in all my exams and assignments, I decided to skip class once a week. And I think it goes without saying, my grade dropped from an A to a B+. I know it isn’t a lot, but it affected my gpa. And I know skipping class can be really tempting, but there are some professors who decide to put some questions on the test, only people who attend all their classes, know the answers to. And also there are some professor who will lower your grade if they notice you aren’t there. Because even though it can seem they won’t notice you aren’t there, some professors care a lot about assistance.

Signing up for an 8 a.m. class

One of the 15 things I learned during my freshman year is that 8 a.m. classes suck. Just avoid signing up for classes that start this early. You’ll regret it during the entire semester, even if you’re a morning person.

Underestimating the syllabus

The syllabus is a gift from god. Literally. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit but the syllabus contains the exam dates, due dates and everything you need to do to get an A. So you should go through it and write down important dates. Also, some professors like to go through the syllabus the first day of class and you should never skip the first day of class. Why? Well, some professors just put some stuff on the syllabus because they have to. For example, it is in the syllabus that a book is required, but as your professor goes thought the syllabus the first day of class, they will tell you if you need it or not.

Which brings me to another mistake freshmen (or college students in general) make…

Buying textbooks before you are completely sure they’re 100% required

As said before, some professors put in the syllabus a book will be needed, but they might not even mention it during the entire semester. I bought a couple books and ended up not using them and I still got an A in those classes. So wait until you’re completely sure you need that textbook.

And also, consider renting books, it is way cheaper. And don’t ever buy your textbooks at your school’s bookstore.

Studying the night before the exam

I always do this, because I feel I study better when I’m under pressure, but honestly it messes up my sleep schedule real bad. I guess I don’t have to explain this one. If you want to get a good grade, studying the night before won’t be enough, even if you study the entire night. So make a study schedule and start studying days before that.

Which also brings me to another mistake…

Drinking too much coffee

I might not drink coffee during the entire year, but when it comes to finals week, I drink coffee and energy drinks as if they were water. I tend to pull all nighters a lot during exam week and last semester before I even realize it, I was taking pure coffee shots on my way to an exam after sleeping only for 2 hours. And yes I’ve googled which Starbucks drink has more caffeine and also I’ve googled how much coffee would I have to drink to die.

But drinking too much coffee is just unhealthy, specially when you do it to keep you awake all night for 2 or 3 nights in a row. So avoid doing it.

Not staying in touch with old friends

Yes, you’re in college now. But you should keep in touch with your high school friends.

Not calling your parents

I know college can get really buys in no time. And I know sometimes you just forget or you don’t have time to talk to them. But just call them and visit them from time to time. Let them know how you’re doing, they’ll be happy to hear form you.

Underestimating the freshman 15

It is real! But as long as you eat healthy (or relatively healthy) and workout every week you’ll be fine. It can be tricky sometimes to eat healthy at the dining hall, but you can do it!

Choosing a major too early

If you’re not sure about your major, you can just take general classes or take a gap year until you find out what you want to study. It is okay not to know, I had no idea what I wanted to do my first semester, so I was just taking random business classes until I decided to go for fashion design. So don’t pressure yourself into choosing a major, take your time and you’ll find out.