Hi, new Hounds! And welcome to Moravian University!
In this article, I’m going to run through a few tricks and tidbits of advice that I wish I had known before entering college.
First of all, you’ll be okay. Going to college is one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of one’s life so far, filled with change and challenges, and it is entirely okay to feel nervous! Just remind yourself that everyone is in the same boat as you–dropped in a new community, searching for how to make connections and friends in a new environment.
Now, onto my tips and tricks: figure out what sort of organization you’re interested in early. I started college using a planner and whiteboard attached to my dorm wall, and by the end of my first semester, I realized I functioned better using Google Calendar, Google Tasks (which can be accessed on the right bar of one’s screen while using Google sites), and sticky notes, whether they be physical or online. These forms of organization helped me manage my time significantly better, and I found the system that worked for me.
If I were to recommend a system of organization, Google Calendar, which can be accessed through a Google Account, is a great resource. Almost every single back-to-back busy person I know utilizes it since it’s easy to share events between faculty and other students and makes it effortless to keep track of appointments and classes on one’s phone and computer.
Although freshmen orientation may seem tiring, try to attend every event they host for you. These events are, ultimately, for you. You can learn where your classes are, make significant, lasting memories, and find connections you can never recreate. It’s such a hectic, beautiful time, and everyone is so overwhelmed it forces you to make friends.
Don’t be afraid to get involved, but don’t hesitate to say no. It’s easy to overwork yourself and burn out, so manage your time commitments wisely! This is another reason why Google Calendar can come in handy; you can see when clubs, classes, and other events conflict, and I personally plan out when I plan to do homework on my calendar to prevent me from falling behind.
Make sure you attend your lectures; it’s mandatory for almost every class I’ve heard of Moravian. If you feel you could use extra support, time, or resources, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Moravian has many outstanding resources, such as peer tutoring, office hours, and The Writing Center, to assist with writing needs and assignments. I may be slightly biased, but I work at the Writing Center and constantly utilize it. I’m an English major, and we even need some help sometimes to get past an unfamiliar or extra difficult assignment.
Take care of yourself. It may not seem important at the moment, but once you get sick and miss classes and events, you’ll realize why preventing that from happening again is so important. Stay hydrated, take a vitamin, and see the sun once in a while. And not only physical health, make sure you’re taking care of yourself mentally. Moravian offers free counseling, but it gets booked up pretty early in the semester, so if you want to utilize these resources, make sure you reach out early.
Communicate with professors; don’t be afraid to fail or make mistakes. Everyone has those moments; it’s more important to see what you learn from it and how you move forward to avoid the same mistakes in the future. Treat everything like a learning experience in college, because it is!
