Higher Ed Utah

Today’s edition of the “Real Life College Student” blog series is by Utah college student, Zachary Stickney, from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.  Zach entered the college world through the Upward-Bound pre-college program and is currently a senior studying Political Science.  For an in-depth description of Zach’s admirable transition from high school to college and his college experience, check out this blog from WSU, “Once-Struggling High School Student Excelling in College.” We hope you enjoy this week’s blog for all the new college freshmen out there, “First semester? Don’t Worry, Be Happy!”

As fun as it is, college can be a very stressful experience, especially for students entering their freshman year.  With a million new options for fun, entertainment, learning, and much more loose class schedules, many students end up cramming at the last minute and/or pulling all-nighters for major assignments.  Fortunately though, there are many ways to keep ahead of the game and keep your stress level at a minimum.

Get Organized

• Use a Planner: The days of your teachers and parents constantly reminding you to do your homework are gone.  Using a planner to keep track of important due dates and meeting/event times will help you visualize what you need to accomplish in a given week.
• Find or create a learning space: Whether this is a location at home or just a quiet place to study on campus, it’s important to know of a space where you can concentrate with minimum interference.

Take Care of Your Body

• Eat Healthy: I’d be lying to you if I said I haven’t broken this rule a few too many times, but that doesn’t make it any less true.  Eating healthy foods will simply make you feel better and happier, and when you feel great most stressful situations are no longer a problem.
• Exercise: Exercising, whether in the form of jogging, basketball, tennis, yoga, zumba, or anything else you enjoy, is a proven stress reliever. Many colleges even offer sports and exercise classes to help you stay in good health.  The not-so-subtle hint: Try taking an exercise class your first year in college!

Take Care of Your Mind

• Tutoring: If you’re struggling in any class it’s important to get help from a friend, a professor, or from the tutoring department to solve the problem.  You should never feel stupid for seeking help.  Everyone struggles sometimes, but remember the “community” in your campus community and use it to your advantage – people are there to help when you need it.
• Support: Sometimes it seems like everything hits you at once, whether it’s a huge assignment, a final test, or, I’m sorry to say, drama caused for whatever reason.  Before this happens, it’s important to know about the support that’s available to you.  This can of course be family or friends, but you should also know that most colleges have counselors on call who are ready to talk about anything.  If you have a problem, talk it out.  There’s no reason to bottle it up.

The last thing I would recommend is to take some “you” time every once in a while.  It’s important to remember that college is a process that you aren’t going to finish over night.  Most degrees take at least four years, so while it’s important to be organized and have direction in your studies, it’s also important to take your time and enjoy the scenery.  Don’t worry, be happy!

Find “Real Life College Student” blogger, Zachary Stickney, on Facebook and Twitter.

Check out past editions of the Real Life College Student Blog.

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