The stress that comes with college,  technically speaking, begins when you are in high school. Applying to colleges is a very crucial part of anyone’s education career.  It is at this time that you decide where you are going to spend the next 2 – 8 years of your life (depending on your specific degree goals and or lack of…).  Before receiving the accomplishment of an acceptance letter, the application process must come first, this can really test your patience.  The process can get to be long, tedious, and expensive.

Depending on which college, trade school, or training academy you wish to apply to, a letter of recommendation, and or short essay, may be required in addition to the application and transcript themselves.  Not only does this extend the length of time it takes to complete the application process but it also becomes a tedious task when trying to sort through which colleges need what documents in addition to your application.

The big decision; it is finally time to stop comparing pros and cons and reveal to the world where you plan on taking your talents.  Whether those talents would be showcased best within a blue   collar profession or a white, when it comes to making  the right decision about your education path there is always a choice present.

Some determining factors in choosing where you want to spend your time and money include campus size, majors offered, clubs, sports, minors, class to teacher ratio, food, distance, location, etc. For instance,  if you are interested in the field of law you want to look into colleges that have good reputations for that specific department and connections to reputable law schools.

Whether you are paying your own way through college or you are receiving assistance from someone else, it is always important to develop a budget and keep in mind what you are spending daily.  This not only helps prepare you for a financially stable future but also makes sure that you do not run out of money half-way through the semester.

Having a budget is not something to be looked down upon because budgets are what prevent you from having future financial issues.  If you know how much your monthly income is and can figure out a way to appropriately divide it up between all payments needed you are less likely to miss payments or run out of money.

Arriving to a new campus with thousands of new faces surrounding you all at once can be intimidating for even the most popular of kids from high school.  You lost the comfort of being surrounded by all of your friends so no doubtedly that would make someone feel uncomfortable. The best thing you can do in this situation is be active and be yourself.

If you sign up for clubs that interest you or sports that you love, you will become surrounded by other people who have the same interests as you.  From this environment alone you are bound to meet new people and develop friendships along the way.

There are going to be a lot of changes to come in regards to your current lifestyle and daily routine. Back in the day so to speak, you most likely did the same thing every day of the week.  In college, classes alone change your schedule every single day.  You could have five classes one day and no classes the next.  You could have a laundry list of things to do and it is up to you to remember what to get accomplished and when to accomplish it.  Your parents are no longer there to remind you to do get up and go to school or to get enough sleep before practices.

Remembering all of the new responsibilities you have and staying on top of your work can play a big part in your adjustment to becoming independent.  If doing these things comes easy to you then you will be just fine during this transition.  Having the motivation to keep up with all of your responsibilities shows in everything you do and can only help you further your career path.

Depending on how you organize your schedule you can allow for breaks in between classes or have a lump sum of free time before or after class.  Now that you are becoming independent you are the one deciding what you will do with your free time; and the right choice is not always the easiest.

You will pick up pretty quickly that your daily schedule in college will introduce you to an ample amount of free time as compared to your extensive days of class in high school.  In college students will be drinking all day everyday and you will be more than tempted to join.  You one – hundred percent should join your friends during your free time to have fun but that should not be something that takes away from getting your school work done correct and on time.  If you have a big test on Friday morning and your friends are pressuring you to go out partying with them on Thursday night you better be able to make the right decision on your own because no one is there to tell you no.

Mostly everyone  has heard of at least one traumatic freshman year horror story in which the freshman was thrown in a trashcan by an upper classman or got lost trying to find their way to class.  These things just happen; but how can you ease your way into college without making yourself out to be a total freshman target?  Be yourself.

Most freshman can be easily spotted by their uncomfortable tendencies and need to fit in.  If you are comfortable with who you are and can be yourself no matter who is around you are expressing a very mature outwards appearance.  Maturity is a rare category for a freshman to be placed in.  One thing you will notice as you go on in your college career is how little the opinions of others truly means.   Aside from constructive criticism, what other people think of who you are and what you do has no relevance to your life.  You will be drawn to others similar to you and quickly find your place.

As a first year college student you do not have much of a choice in regards to your housing in college.  You are usually living on campus in a dorm or commuting from home.  It is when your sophomore year rolls around that your options expand.  There are dormitories, suites, on campus apartments, off campus apartments, off campus housing, the choices can seem endless and overwhelming.  The easiest way to decide whether living on campus or off campus is best for you is by analyzing your schedule and daily activities.  If you are very involved in on campus activities such as clubs or sports then being on campus may be more beneficial for you.  If you are not so active on campus and are only there for class and to occasionally eat then living off campus may be more suitable for you.
If financial issues are what is determining your housing then you have a few things to think about.  If you do not want to add on to your tuition debt by also taking out a loan for housing then off campus housing is the way to go.  You will have to recruit a few roommates and most likely get a part time job to pay rent every month but this, in the long run, is the most financially friendly option.  Taking out a loan for housing can set you back tens of thousands of dollars in debt all while acquiring interest every year that passes. (add and edit)

As a freshman, I would personally recommend that you get the biggest meal plan available that will still remain in your budget. In my personal experience, my meal plan played a big role in me getting to know the campus better as well as allowing me to meet new people. The dining hall atmosphere is not one full of boredom and stress like that of a classroom.  These places offer the opportunity for people to let loose for and enjoy the endless amounts of pasta and pizza surrounding them.

Similarly in regards to housing, if financial issues play a part in choosing a meal plan after your first year dropping your meal plan as a whole is your best bet.  Meal plans, in both small and large quantities, can get very expensive very fast.  Learning how to cook for yourself will be the best option for you monetarily.

Learning how to cook for yourself can seem pretty intimidating at first but once you burn a few dinners and melt a plastic bowl or two in the microwave things usually tend to improve.  This is a good opportunity for you to get in touch with relatives and friends that know how to cook; without using a microwave.  Ask for the recipe to your favorite meal that they cook or maybe a few easy beginner recipes for you to practice with.  These chef gurus will quickly become your saving grace the day you can make Ramen Noodles into a chicken stir fry recipe.