Back to School Survival Guide

Here in my hometown, summer is officially over. Students headed back to school this morning. For some, this is an exciting time. Reuniting with friends and being back on a regular schedule is fun for a lot of people. For others, back to school can mean back to stress. Have no fear! I'm here to help! Having survived school up through undergrad, I have plenty of tips for getting through the school year.
1. Breathe. This is so important. Things get busy fast when school starts. Remember to breathe.
2. Make time for you. Between homework, extracurriculars, and trying to keep up with your social life, it can be hard to find time for yourself. Whatever you do, make sure you're taking care of you.
3. Keep an agenda. If your school doesn't provide you an agenda, go to Walmart or the dollar store and get yourself a planner. This makes it way easier to keep up with assignments, due dates, and activities.
4. Get some sleep. This is another one of those things that can be hard to do in the midst of all the craziness, but it's important for your physical and mental health.
5. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Whether you're dealing with bullies or falling behind in a class, don't be afraid to speak up and ask for help. Go to tutoring (if your school offers it, or ask a friend or teacher for help), talk to your teachers, go to the counselor. Do whatever you need to do.
6. Be yourself. Don't let anyone tear you down for being you. Own it! You are awesome!
7. Pay attention in class. I know, some classes are boring things you're required to take. Trust me, I understand. It's still important to pay attention. If you don't you may miss some key information needed for the exam.
8. Study. Even if it's only for a few minutes a day, make sure you study. It'll pay off in the long run. (Hint: flashcards are your friend. You can also try quizlet.com, it's free and saves you from buying tons of index cards!)
9. Do your homework. I'm sure your mom and your teachers ride you about this already, but if you don't get your homework done, your grade will suffer.
10. Get involved. Don't just sit idly by and let the school year pass. Find a club/activity that interests you and get involved. It can help you to find friends with similar interests while also having a good time at school.
11. Have a presentation coming up? Make note cards. And number them. It will help you stay on track when you present.

You got this! Have a great school year!

College Life Tips

It's your freshman year of college. You're living in a new place with new people. It can be scary, I know, but I'm here to help. Here are some tips to help with the transition and help you get the most out of your college experience.

• Get to know your roommates/suitemates. Getting to know the people you are living with will make living with them a lot better and a lot easier.
• Bring pictures of your friends and family. Put them up on your side of the room. Trust me, it'll help with the homesickenss.
• Use your headphones. Not everyone wants to listen to the music or movie you're listening to. Be respectful of that.
• Invest in some noise-canceling headphones. As someone who lived near some of the loudest people ever, not having noise-canceling headphones is probably one of my biggest regrets. Don't know which ones to get? Review.com conducted thorough research to find the best. Read all about them here and decide for yourself.
• Keep the noise down. When you're just hanging out in your dorm, don't be blasting music and talking as loud as possible. The people around you are trying to study. Keeping your voice down will also help keep the wrong people from learning things you don't want them knowing about you,
• Flush the toilet. You would think with everyone being 18 and older this wouldn't need to be said, but it does. In most college dorms, bathrooms are shared by multiple people.
• Keep your personal items in your space. It's really frustrating when you go to brush your teeth and some other girl's stuff is all over the counter...and she's not even in the bathroom. Or when you go to take a shower and the girl who showered before you has left her clothes and shampoo everywhere.
• Close the curtain when you shower. When you shower with the curtain open, it gets the bathroom floor very wet, sometimes to the point that it feels like it's flooded. Don't be the girl that leaves the bathroom floor all wet for the next girl.
• Wear flip flops in the shower. In fact, just never go to the bathroom barefoot. It's college. You never know what you might step in. Dorm bathrooms and showers tend to be quite gross.
• Be aware of dorm rules. A lot of schools have certain rules to follow when living in a dorm (i.e. quiet hours). Be aware of those rules and follow them. It will save you a lot of trouble, literally.
• Join clubs. Most schools have some kind of club fair to show what activities they have available. Go to it and find at least one group/activity that interests you. It'll help you make friends that share your interests, and you'll get more out of your college experience.
• Go to events on campus. Just like joining clubs, going to campus events (i.e. dances, movie screenings, cookouts, etc.) will help you meet people and make friends. They're also super fun and sometimes include free food.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help. Whether it's going to a tutor, talking to your professor during office hours, or talking with a counselor, don't be afraid to reach out when you need help. 
• Don't be scared of the RAs. Your Resident Assistants (RAs) are there to help you. Don't be afraid of them. Get to know them and let them get to know you. Getting to know them will humanize them a little bit and make it easier to reach out when you need help.
• Make time to study. Most of this post has been about the social aspect of being in college, but don't forget about the academics. With so much happening on campus, it's easy to get distracted. Be sure to schedule yourself some time to study and get homework done. (Hint: one way to study AND be social at the same time is to join/create a study group)

Don't be scared. You've got this! Have fun and be safe my dear freshies!