#freshmen tips

An interruption because of a global pandemic is not what anyone in the graduating class of 2020 expected. In fact, it wasn’t what anyone in any academic institution was expecting.

First and foremost, my heart goes out to the graduating class of 2020 (high school AND college). All of you have worked extremely hard to get where you are today and many of you looked forward to having a graduation ceremony to both validate and celebrate your academic achievements. Many of you have had your graduations, proms, and senior trips cancelled (rather than rescheduled) and there are no words that anyone can say to take that pain away. I am sorry your senior year was disrupted the way it was.

Today, there is an outrageous amount of uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 and schools. Some states, including my own, are re-opening although schools (including college and universities) remain closed through the rest of the academic year—the end of May/early June. Some universities have announced that they will announce by the end of June if classes will resume face-to-face in the Fall.

Surely, these are scary developments for those of you who are struggling to adapt to online learning as it is. But, colleges are making every possible accommodation for their students during this time. 

Although I don’t do this often, I’ll tell a bit of a personal story:

I am currently in my second year of law school, which is the main reason why I am infrequently posting here, and we shifted to solely online learning March 24. Now, before anyone thinks “that’s a late transition,” our classes were cancelled March 12 and the ABA sent out approval for classes shifting online amid the pandemic, the following week was Spring Break, and then we resumed the semester online. I’ll be the first to tell you that online classes are tough—I would much rather attend class face-to-face. I still had class at home, in my dining room, at the same time I had them every day on campus.

But, the worst part of it all is the exams. The exams are administered on a software that uses AI (artificial intelligence) to watch you take the exam and report if you’re cheating or even talking to someone else during the exam. The software is intrusive and a complete invasion of privacy. You can’t take notes on the exam, mark out incorrect answers, or even underline/circle key words in the fact pattern or the answer choices. Also, when your house is not quiet, it makes taking an exam much harder than taking it in a classroom. Needless to say, online exams are nothing like face-to-face exams. So, the transition has been tough.

Right now, I feel like Saul Goodman (Jimmy McGill/Slippin’ Jimmy) from “Better Call Saul.” (The running joke is that we attend Zoom University’s School of Law.)

But, I say all of this to say, everything will go on!

Eventually, schools will re-open, we won’t have to wear masks, we won’t have to worry about shaking people’s hands, and we won’t be stuck at home. But, if that doesn’t occur before Fall 2020, colleges will still continue—albeit online—but they will continue. Many schools have shifted new student orientations online. Remember: higher education institutions know that we didn’t sign up for this, they know that we would have signed up for a correspondence colleges/universities if that’s how we wanted to go to school, so they’re doing everything they can to make online learning a possibility.

Get fucking weird in the cafeteria.

If you have a meal plan with your school, the shit starts to get bland. I'm not even done with my first semester and I'm tired of the selection, but I can't afford to buy anything else. The solution? Get weird with the options. I currently have a bag of soup I am currently testing out made of seasoning, soy sauce, Tabasco, mushrooms, onions, bacon, ham, and a shitton of salt and I will continue to tweak it until I can have perfect soup because they never serve the soup I like

In breakfast I make waffle sandwiches out of cream cheese, almonds, and cinnamon sugar; for fancy coffee I make my out frappe or iced coffee with the coffee they have and on occasion ice cream added in, for green tea I make a premade cup of strong green tea then bring it in the mornings, add some honey and soy milk with ice and tada I feel rich af

Talk to your professors. I say this in pretty much every advice post but I really cannot stress it enough; your professors, teachers, TAs, they WANT you to succeed. When I began struggling on exams (primarily due to health reasons though my professors did not know that) my professors were the ones who pulled me aside to express concern about how I was. They asked me what they could do to help, they offered resources and suggested changes that I could personally make. Maybe they can offer extensions if there is usually an assignment near the exam that adds to your stress level. Maybe they can run through a mock exam with you to help calm your nerves. Your professor may also be willing to allow you to wear earplugs if the sounds in the classroom while you are testing tends to distract you.

Reach out to testing services. There’s a pretty common misconception that the testing services on campus are only useful to students with disabilities but in reality they usually also staff people who have degrees in how people learn. They may not be able to offer you extra time or allow you to take your exams at the center but they probably can offer you a consultation with a testing strategist to help you figure out ways to calm your anxieties and figure out the best ways for you to study/prepare.

Talk to mental health services. Anxiety is very real even when your flare ups are situational. Talking to a counselor could give you the leg up you need to tackle your anxiety. They probably have some great tips on coping mechanisms.

Consider opening up to a trusted friend. A lot of students deal with test anxiety, there is a lot of pressure to perform at a high level especially when you are on the collegiate level, and so there is a good chance that your friend will understand or at least be sympathetic to what you are dealing with. Being able to talk it out with someone you trust can be really helpful and also can remind you that grades aren’t everything, and remind you that just because tests may not be your strong point you are still smart and worthy.

That’s what I have for now! My ask is always open, feel free to reach out!

Hello! I finished up my freshmen year and I’m now moving onto being a sophomore. I thought I’d write you some tips based on my experiences since school is already close for some people. 

First Day Advice:

First and foremost, relax! The first week is bound to be hectic but after that, everything goes relatively smoothly. Honestly, when I went to go to class on the first day, I ended up walking into three different classrooms before finding the right one. I had no idea where I was going and if I made one slight change in my commuting from class to class, I would be completely lost. But of course everyone else was doing the same thing-panicking and getting lost. 

Don’t panic if you don’t know where your classes are going to be! I’m not sure about other schools but at mine, in middle school you would tour the high school three times. Still after those three times, I could barely remember where the stairs were. I promise that after the first day, things can only improve from there. By a week later, I knew where all the important classes and some extra rooms were. 

Seniors may be dicks to you. At my school, this ‘treat freshmen horribly’ trend only lasted the first day. After that, as long as you don’t threaten to punch someone in the face, you’ll be fine. 

Different rules- most of which aren’t even followed. Middle school is by far the strictest when it comes to rules. By high school, most of the rules disappear. For example, you have to have a clear water bottle because you can only have water. You know those clear sparkling flavored waters? Those aren’t allowed. Supposedly, you can only have water in my high school, but 75% of the girls bring in Dukin coffees every day. Nobody really says anything unless you have a strict teacher. 

Academic Advice:

For the love of god, do your homework! It affects your grade a lot if you miss a bunch of assignments and get zeros. At the same time, if you miss only a handful of them for the whole semester, don’t stress cause it won’t ruin your grade. 

Do well on tests and all that jazz. Same as before: don’t bomb multiple tests and quizzes and expect a good grade. But if you get a few tests back that weren’t up to your standard, don’t worry. Also if your teacher allows it, retake it or do corrections. 

Balance your studying time. Again, you’ll have to try and find a happy medium. It’s good to over study rather than under study, but it can wear on you quickly. Don’t stay up studying ‘till midnight for three nights straight because you’ll feel awful in the morning. And make sure you study the correct information because all that time would be wasted if you take the test only to realize that it’s on nothing you prepared for. 

Self Care:

Sleep is so important. I’ve never been one to follow a strict sleep schedule and I would pay for that on some days. I’d recommend 7-8 hours each night but if you can get 9+ that’s even better. Only get less than 6 hours if absolutely necessary. 

Take a day out of your week to fully relax. Do whatever relaxes you. Take a long, hot shower or soak in the bath with candles and a bath bomb. Cook dinner for your family or bake a mug cake. Draw pretty pictures or doodle in your bullet journal. Sleep a little longer than normal or take a quick nap. Have your ‘me day’ be as important as acing that test. 

Have a daily routine to wash your face, whether it be in the morning to wake you up or in the evening to feel refreshed. You don’t even need a face wash, although I’d recommend one. Try and wash your face every day or every other day. Trust me, it feels nice. 

Friends, Family & Relationships:

Let’s be real, you're probably going to lose a few friends. Drama is sprinkled everywhere in freshmen year. Between grades, relationships, family troubles and a bunch of other short-term problems, losing friends is something that’s likely to happen. Now don’t freak out, it's not like your friends are going to leave you and drop like flies. Who knows, you may not lose any. The first year of high school is also a good chance to see who your friends really are. 

But at the same time, you’ll make a bunch of friends. Seriously. I’m quite the introvert and haven’t made any new friends in years but I think I made around five friends freshman year.

Don’t be afraid of older kids. For my computer class, I was the only 9th grader. There was only two 10th grader, one 11th grader and the rest of them were 12th graders. Honestly that was one of my favorite classes. I obviously didn’t belong in this group of mostly rowdy senior guys but they were all so nice to me. I later learned that that computer class was stupidly easy and was basically a study period where you got college credit for doing nothing.  

Relationships- tread carefully. I’ve been told multiple times not to date in high school but I still disagree. Be cautious of who you date. Seniors are a big no no. See, I liked a senior and he liked me back, but we both knew we shouldn’t date (he was 18, I was 15) and he was leaving for college soon. We didn’t date, but being friends was good enough. Also, judge their personalities. Falling for someone who is a bad person or is manipulating is going to make life so much harder for you. 

Random Advice:

Bring a water bottle every day to class

Have an emergency bag with a snack inside :)

Eat a little in between classes if you can 

Make your lunch light because you may not have a lot of time to eat

Have a planner!! 

Sit in the front or the middle of the classroom 

Make sure you always have a few pens/pencils with you

Try and have at least one friend in every class

Explore clubs and other extracurricular activities 

Participate if you feel comfortable doing so 

Learn to get over grudges and beef with others

You may miss your old middle school life, but learn that you have to move on 

Remember headphones for when the nice teachers let you use them

^ Bring an extra pair for your friends who don’t have any of their own

If you're gonna screw up, then screw up now while you still have time

So, I’m returning to school today and I thought I’d share some tips for move-in day:

• Don’t forget your meds if you need them

• Don’t stress about how much stuff you have. It usually looks like a lot, but everyone has different needs. What I like to do is put a little sticker on everything I bring with me. I take the sticker off the first time I use it, and at the end of the semester I know which things I never used.

•Did you pack your meds?

• If you have a roommate, try to talk to them before the semester starts. It might help you with that first day awkwardness; it helps to know you have something in common, or at least each other’s majors so that you can make small talk while you put away your underwear.

• A portable moving dolly will save your life, if you can get/find one. They have them on Amazon for ~$15, and it’ll make hauling your stuff so much easier

• If your school has a frat/ other group that provides moving services, take advantage of it– especially if it’s free. It’s actually a pretty good way to get to know new people on campus if you’re into that. Plus, mini fridges and such are heavy

• Don’t forget to drink water !

I hope everybody has a strong start to a good semester; but even if you don’t, remember that a rough first day isn’t the end of the world. It’s okay to feel homesick, or lonely, or nervous.

1. Go to campus a couple days early to learn how to get everywhere; and find your classrooms.

2. Bring your books to the first day of class, if you’re able to.

3. Prepare a main binder with a tab for all your classes, put in your schedule, a map, a parking map, all your syllabuses and other important documents.

4. On the first week, wear something that reflects an interest of yours, like a video game teeshirt or a band bracelet.

5. TALK TO PEOPLE! When you sit down in your class room, meet the people around you and make friends. Learn their names so you don’t awkwardly ask in the middle of the semester!

5 ½. Get their phone numbers and work together as each other’s resources to get through the class!

6. GET THERE EARLY! Parking always sucks when the semester begins.

Quick tips from a college student for those of you dealing with being sick and away from home.

1. First off change your bedsheets now. You want to start your journey to feeling better with clean sheets; you’ll be able to feel cozy, comfortable, and you won’t have to worry about the crumbs from all the snacks you’ve been eating in bed all semester.

2. If you have the energy; clean up around your room. Wash dishes, sweep or vacuum, fold clothes, wash laundry if you need to; it’s a lot easier to stay organized while sick if you know that your home base is clean.

3. Caffeine is not your friend right now. I know you’re tired and you have things you need to do but caffeine = dehydration = feeling more sick = taking longer to get better = getting less done. Drink lots of caffeine free fluids. Drink water, get some caffeine free tea, get some ginger ale, avoid coffee! 

4. Soup is good. Along this vein eating when you feel hungry is good. Don’t force yourself to stuff yourself but get some crackers, get some soup, get some mashed potatoes, or whatever comfort food sounds gentle to your stomach, and eat small amounts. Food is good for you but don’t pressure yourself to eat, take it slow.

5. Store brand cold and flu medicine is just as effective as name brand and it costs about 1/3 the amount. Stock up, use as directed, it’s helpful especially for getting through class. 

6. Stock up on pocket packs of tissues for your backpack. You don’t want to run our mid cold. 

My top five tips for shopping for back to school clothes (mostly for those of you headed off to college);

1. Get yourself between two and five plain t-shirts that are breathable and comfy. Some should neutral and some should be bright colors that you enjoy wearing/seeing! I like to go with orange, green, white, and black. Old Navy is my go to place for these shirts because the sale section usually has them for like three to five dollars.

2. Invest in the shoes you buy! It seems so tempting to buy cheaper shoes so that you can mix it up and wear lots of cute colors but when you head of to college you’re going to be walking a LOT. This means that investing in shoes that are good to your feet is probably the best way to go. I like to shop online, DSW, Nordstrom Rack, and anywhere with sales.

3. Get a raincoat! If you don’t think you’ll wear it a ton then go with a cheaper one and get a nicer one if it turns out you use it a lot. REI is a great place to look for high quality ones and REI Garage has sale items!

4. Find a comfy cardigan/sweater. It should be a color that matches in with your wardrobe; it could be neutral or a fun color but get one that you’ll feel good carrying to class every day. My go to shops are Target, Old Navy, and Forever 21 (I usually hit the sales racks when possible, and FYI end of summer is a good time to try them out).