My final semester of college begins this month! Due to dual enrollment courses and summer school I am able to graduate a semester early. Kacey Musgraves said it best, I really am happy and sad at the same time!

A few weeks ago I asked for my Instagram followers to ask me any questions they had about college, and I will be answering them to the best of my ability. I will also give my own suggestions on how I handle my coursework in order to maximize my free time on weekends. These are all tips that work best for me, but everyone works differently! My best piece of advice is to figure out what works best for you.

Instagram Questions

 

How did you adjust to being away from your home and family?

Being away from my friends, family, and home was by far the hardest part of my freshman year. It is a huge adjustment! I lived in the same area my whole life, and went to school with the same people from kindergarten to my senior year. Then, I chose to attend an amazing school 3 hours away from home where I barely knew anyone! I missed my friends and family like crazy. I called my mom every day, and I was constantly group messaging my friends from home. The best thing to do was stay busy, but it was truly just something I had to get used to! I remember the first time I referred to my college town as home in conversation, and it shocked me. Now, I feel very lucky to have two towns that feel like home to me.

 

How do you deal with such a BIG school?

Going from a small rural high school to one of the biggest universities in the state, was another huge adjustment! Like I said earlier, I knew almost no one that I went to school with. It was crazy! There are so many tips, I am going to bullet point them!

• Establish class friends. I usually try to get to class early and sit beside someone who is sitting alone or if there are already a few people in the room, sit with them! Get to know each other and your classes will start feeling smaller.
• Join clubs! At least go to the interest meetings. This is a great way to get to know people, and you already know you have a similar interest!
• Get involved with a student ministry or small group. Small groups are a great way to get to know other girls and have fellowship and prayer.
• Make friends on your Class of Facebook page. If your school has “Class of 20**” Facebook Pages where they only allow people in your graduating class at your university to join, utilize it! This one is my favorite, because this is how I met my BFF Angelique. We messaged on Facebook, grabbed lunch on campus between classes, and became best friends fast. If you do this, please be safe about it! I only recommend doing this if the page is set up and enforced by your university, and is limited to people who actually attend your school. Also, be smart, and meet on your university’s campus during the day time!

 

Tips for Starting to Think About Post Grad

I feel like all I do is think about post grad life sometimes. I would like to say I never worry about it at all, but I do! I think the most important thing is to keep faith that God will guide you in the right direction.

The biggest thing you should decide during your sophomore or junior year of college is if you want to attend grad school after graduation or if you will be entering the workforce. Personally, I am going to be entering the workforce! I will definitely not write off going back to school for my MBA one day, but at this point in my life I am ready to begin my career.

Regardless of which step you take, I recommend getting an internship. This looks great on your resume, but more importantly it will allow you to gain valuable experience in your field. I also recommend keeping a list of businesses you would like to work for post grad in the notes in your phone. This way, when it is time to start applying for positions you will already know where you want to apply. I also think it is a good idea to set aside time monthly to update your resume. Ask your professors if you can email them your resume for feedback to make sure it looks its best.

 

Planning

BUY A PLANNER. YOU NEED IT AND YOU SHOULD USE IT. As soon as you get your syllabus at the beginning of the year mark all due dates and exams in your planner. Check your planner every morning and every evening to ensure you are not going to miss a deadline. THIS IS A FOOLPROOF WAY TO STAY ON TOP OF THINGS. PLEASE JUST DO IT!

 

Homework

When you can, do your homework the day you had the lecture covering the material. The information will be fresh on your brain, and it will feel so nice to have that out of the way. I also recommend doing all assignments Monday through Friday, so you have the whole weekend to relax. There is nothing more stressful than trying to finish all of Monday’s homework on Sunday night!

 

Above all else,

keep faith in the Lord, and be willing to learn. Just because these strategies worked best for me, does not mean they will work best for you and that is ok! If you have any more questions, leave them in the comments!

 

Peytyn