Before I started college, I was worried how it was all going to go down. How heavy will the course load be? Am I going to have time for a job or a social life? What are people going to think of me? These questions were easier to answer than I thought, and I’ve learned how to survive throughout the years.

The first thing I wish I knew freshman year is that time management is everything. In college you can’t get much done if you aren’t organized. My freshman year I was in school full time, I had a part time job and I liked spending a little too much time with my friends. I feel as if a lot of other freshman are in the same position as I was.

First, try to work everything else around your classes. There will always be other shifts to pick up at work and other times to see your friends, but there won’t be more time to study for the exam you have tomorrow. I have always done this by having a planner to schedule out my time. Even now, I have a planner, desk calendar and laptop calendar, and I always keep up with my to-dos on Canvas. Just make sure to prioritize everything to fit your lifestyle.

This one shouldn’t even need to be said, but reading your textbook ACTUALLY helps. My freshman year, I never read any of the textbook material; I didn’t really care. When I was getting C’s and D’s on all my exams, I always thought ‘Hmm, why am I doing so bad? I always go to class and do my homework.’ Well, maybe because I wasn’t actually learning any material or retaining any information. Now, as a junior in college, I always try to read even just a little of my textbooks and it’s really reflecting in my higher grades.

A main lesson I have learned since my freshman year is that nobody cares as much as you think they do, but in the best way. High school is known for being the time where everybody is trying to fit in, but it’s also the time when you’re listening to what everybody has to say about you. In college, it’s a whole different story. People have their own lives to care about. Nobody is worried about who you’re sitting with at lunch, what you’re wearing or what you’re doing. It’s a more open and accepting environment where you can be who you are no matter what.

College is the time where you should be growing as much as possible. You’re expanding your knowledge and getting on the path to where you want to be in life. Make sure you’re always on track, pick up your textbook every now and then and always be 100 percent yourself. Use this time wisely and stay focused.