The pressures of making your parents proud and achieving a great GPA in your first year of college is stressful for any first-year student. Many struggle to find success and are left wondering how to thrive at Shippensburg University.

Here is some advice to make your transition from high school to college as easy as possible.

Attend classes: 

This may seem like a no-brainer but it is easy to slip through the cracks and skip classes. Many courses on campus factor in attendance as part of the grade. By regularly attending class, you have a better chance at understanding the material and getting a better grade on projects and exams. Most classes have a policy that if students miss a certain amounts of classes, they will fail the course regardless of how well they were doing in the course.

Do not be afraid to ask for help: 

It is hard sometimes to open up and ask for assistance. If you are getting bad grades on assignments, do not be afraid to ask the professor for help. All professors have office hours for this reason. If you are feeling mentally unwell, it is okay to reach out to the Etter Health Center located behind Naugle Hall.

Practice time management: 

Pulling an all-nighter and still getting an “A” might have been easy in high school but in college you might have multiple projects due on the same day. Start assignments two weeks before the due date to give yourself time to work on them. Do not start assignments last minute as that only leads to disaster.

Get involved: 

Being a part of on campus organizations is a great way to network and gain new friends and experiences. Make a list of clubs you are interested in and sign up during the Student Involvement Service (SIS) fair.

Take time deciding a major: 

Within your first year you might be indecisive and change your major multiple times. Freshman year is all about testing the waters and trying out different classes and finding new interests.

Stay healthy: 

Do not neglect your health. Make sure to eat well and get enough sleep. Keeping yourself active at the recreation center or gym will help clear your mind. 

Resident Hall Life:

Try to get along with roommate(s) as much as possible. Make sure to write out guidelines at the beginning of the semester to establish rules. You do not have to be best friends with your roommate(s) but be cordial.

The first year of college offers students a clean slate and provides many opportunities. Make sure to take advantage of student resources that can help you establish a career. SU can help better prepare you for your future self.

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