The “Freshman 10”
10 Uncommon Tips to Alleviate the Freshman "10"
What is it they say about the Freshman 10? or is it the first year 20?
Shed that extra “weight” before it even becomes a thing. Whether you are starting college or returning to high school, smart, preemptive planning now, will help students transition in a healthful way back into the new school year.
Define Success: What does a successful quarter/ semester/ year mean to you? Your parents? Have this conversation before you hit the road. It's like setting the GPS for your college journey
Routine: Ritualize the school days. Get up at the same time each day, create a healthy routine; one that includes: exercise, water, and a healthy breakfast at an unhurried pace.
Start Calm: Sleep 8 hours and then start the day feeling grounded – water, a few minutes of quiet, a walk, or a mindfulness app. Keep in mind that one full minute of meditation is a quick, effective reset.
Exploration: Prop your dorm room open. Welcome newcomers. Embrace the opportunity to join a few clubs, take an odd ball elective class, ask a new friend to go for a run or meet at the gym. Take advantage of office hours and meet with professors.
De-cluttering: Clean & clear open spaces (desks & dorm rooms) help to keep us calm and feeling in control.
Balanced Schedule: Use Sundays as a time to set the pace for the week. Look strategically ahead. Do a weekly “syllabus check” to plan and allocate time for each upcoming task, assignment, and/or test. This will help with unwanted surprises or last-minute cramming -- and the dreaded Sunday scaries!!
Autonomy: Get resourceful and build more autonomy as you become less dependent on support and advice from home. Lean on friends, new mentors, use google searches and youtube videos to teach you new things, and trust your own instincts. Embrace your new independence. You got this!
Socialize: College is a full contact sport. Find reasons and opportunities to say “yes” to meeting new people while also keeping in check your own well being. And equally important ... don’t be afraid to stay home once in a while either.
Stress Management: Prioritize mental health while also getting comfortable with a little bit of stress. College life is brand-new! New life. New expectations. Some new-found stressors will pop up. Be sure and locate the campus Health & Wellness Center and use their services. Recognize and name your own triggers. De-mystify them. Enlist help early.
One Word Goals: (My favorite!!) Try a one word mindset or goal to set the tone for the year. Whether you are showing up for a class, a test, a party or a new club, what’s one-word you can always bring along? Consider: curiosity, contribution, focus, open-mind, assertiveness, humor, balance, etc. Easy and doable – Just one word!
Five(5) Extra Credit Points:
Budget: Get comfortable setting up a budget with your parents. Avoid those on campus pop-up credit card booths; instead go to a real bank and get some honest financial schooling. From coffee splurges and spring break getaways, to textbooks and tuition due dates, it all adds up, and requires a new level of maturity, responsibility, and open dialogue.
Stay Attuned & Aware: Don’t let anyone make you a drink. Just don't. Determine an agreed upon text word or symbol that communicates that you need help or that you are in danger. Share this with a few close friends and your family.
Eyes Wide Open: Walk the campus and walk to class with your phone tucked into your pocket. Pay attention to the exciting new world around you! Opportunity is everywhere if we are tuned in enough to recognize it.
Phone Plan: Your iphone holds everything. From “find my friends” apps to having a family code word for emergencies to Apple Pay, to an up-to-date Uber credit card; doing a phone overhaul before you leave is a smart plan.
Show up and Do the Work: There aren’t any shortcuts in college (or life), so figure out early the rhythm of school quarters or semesters in relation to your own unique study habits. Figure out professors’ and their testing expectations (Hint: Use their Office Hours). And figure out how you best learn and take in new information (sit in the front, re-write notes, ask more questions, best times of day to study, etc.)
Working to minimize that Freshman 10 by finding your own balance between academic commitments, social fun, and healthy self-care is a worthy investment.
And yet, be careful not to take yourself too seriously – a bad day is over in 24 hours, and one grade in one class does not define who you are.
Some final humor and advice from author, Kelly Corrigan:
“Don’t take other people’s adderall. Granola bars have a lot of sugar. The stamp goes in the upper right corner.”