Are you starting your freshman year of college? Are you worried about making the right decisions during next year?  Do the decisions you need to make seem overwhelming? Joe College has comprised a list of five common freshmen mistakes – and is pleased to tell you how to tackle them so your college transition is a smooth one:

1. Rooming with a friend from home. This is a very common mistake and one that generally never ends well. It may seem like a great idea to room in college with your best friend from high school since you’ve been planning it for years, but be aware of the risk. Odds are, despite how great of friends you may have been in high school, living in a 12’ x 12’ dorm room will be a completely different experience. You may experience little things, which on a daily basis, drive you completely nuts. It’s not worth risking a friendship over. An even better reason is because college is a time to meet new people, and to break out of your comfort zone. Not knowing your roommate in advance gives you the opportunity to possibly room with someone from across the country or maybe even someone from another country. Wouldn’t it be great to learn about a new culture without having to go to class?!

2. Choosing not to go to class because the professor won’t notice. This is a popular habit among freshmen who are used to having a teacher take attendance each day in high school. Without getting into whether it’s smart or not, let me just offer some financial insight. An average private college costs $970 per credit. Therefore a 3-credit course will cost over $2900. If you have class 25 times during the semester, that would make the price of each class $116. That’s a lot of money to throw away each time you skip a class! Enough said right? Go to class!

3. Not managing time well. This is a difficult thing to master the first year of college. Some find it is difficult because they are on their own schedule and find that with too much free time, they can never focus on getting work done. Others find that with all the clubs and activities that are being offered, they try to do too much and wear themselves out. So although it is important to branch out and take in all you can, we recommend doing so moderately and at a pace that you can manage.

4. Thinking that transferring to another school will solve all your problems. If it crosses your mind to transfer, seriously consider the reasons. Try to decipher why you want to leave your school. There's a possibility that if you don’t address these issues you could face the same problems at another college. Remember to keep an open mind, give the college a chance, and to use the resources (your RA, a counseling center, and/or a tutoring center) on your college campus to help you along the way.
 
5. Trying to fit the mold. In high school there is a lot of pressure to fit in. College should be a time where you are more focused on you and your own goals. Try not to spend too much time worrying about whether or not the upperclassmen will think you’re cool or not. Be yourself and keep your personal goals in focus.

If you’re able to steer clear of these 5 common mistakes, you’re much more likely to have a successful future in college.

Breakin’ the mold,

Rich