You’ve made it. Aced your school and entrance exams, got admission into one of the best engineering colleges in Pune, moved out of your childhood home and now are setting off to make your mark on the world. You’re overwhelmed with excitement. After all, college is going to be the time for you to discover yourself as an adult, take on new responsibilities and explore a world of possibilities. What’s not to be excited about?
Well, along with that excitement comes a certain amount of apprehension. What are your classes going to be like? How are you going to make friends? Do you have to worry about ragging? What if you get homesick? There are a tonne of questions that could be floating through your mind. And quite rightly, because this is a time in your life that is quite incomparable to any others. That’s why we’ve got you a list of things that you should definitely do in your first year of college, even if no one’s told you about them. These tips will help you start off on the right foot and set you up for success for the duration of your college years. So, let’s get started.
Get involved on campus
When you’ve just stepped out of school and into college, it’ll take you a while to acclimatize. So far, studies have always been your priority. And studying and attending classes is definitely a huge part of college too. But don’t forget to also take some time to get involved on campus. This can be by joining different clubs and societies, or even by exploring campus and spending time in the canteen. Your first year is the best time to explore different aspects of your college and meet people from all across the country. Take the time and effort to make connections with as many people as you can, because there’s a high chance that these people could end up becoming bigshots in their industries later on. Your time for networking starts now.
Set up a bank account for yourself
Many colleges in India actually have a bank branch on or near campus that they are affiliated to. Setting up an account for yourself in that branch can make your time in college a lot easier. You’ll be able to negotiate any fee payments or refunds with a lot less hassle, and you’ll never have to worry about ATM fees. Most importantly, having your own bank account is going to help you learn how to manage your money, and that can be a really important life skill to learn while in college.
Communicate with your roommates
College life is all about living with others. Whether it’s in a campus hostel or a PG or even a shared apartment, you’re going to experience what it is to live with people who aren’t your family members for the first time. And this is a process that is eased a lot with proper communication. Because when you live with someone, you share not just a physical space, but chores, routines and sleep schedules. You’ll have to compromise and accommodate each other’s needs, and may even need to take care of one another if you fall ill. That’s why keeping the communication channels open and respectful is important. You can avoid any passive-aggressive conflicts, and it’ll help you become more compassionate too. Who knows, your college roommate might just end up being your friend for life.
Look out for an internship or a part time job/course
You might think that the first year of college is when you get to have fun and party, and you’ll still have plenty of time to catch up on work and studies in the remaining years. Well, we’re sorry to burst your bubble but that’s just not true. Because your CGPA is going to take all your semester results into account. But even more importantly, staying focused in your first year can actually help you get an edge over your classmates in future years. Looking for internships or part time jobs or courses at this time can help you add more qualifications to your resume and build your CV into something impressive by the time you’re sitting for placements. So, don’t just make your life about all play and no work, strive for a healthy balance between the two.
Keep an eye on the college notice board
Depending on packers and movers in Pune may have helped you smoothly settle into hostel life, but managing everything else depends only on. There are a lot (and we mean a LOT) of opportunities that are going to come your way in college. But unlike school, no one is going to hand them to you. You have to keep an eye out for different opportunities and events that strike your fancy. The best way to do this is to routinely check the notice board of your college. This will keep you updated on all the administrative goings-on (fee payments, registrations to different courses etc.) as well as society events, workshops, competitions and exchange programmes.
These are our top secret tips that you should keep in mind so that you can make your first year of college the best it can be. Keep them in mind and you’ll be able to level up your enjoyment and productivity in college. Good luck!