Last Updated On: July 16th, 2026
Starting college is an exciting time for many students but can also feel overwhelming. Rather than worrying about planning the next four years, focus on making the most of your first few months and setting yourself up for success!
Introduction
So you applied to college last year, got accepted, and are now preparing to actually step on campus — first of all, congratulations on taking this next step in your education! As you’re probably already aware, college life is much different than high school life. Not only are you living independently and dealing with more rigorous academic material, you’re also entering a much bigger community that can feel daunting to many students.
But since many students have walked this path before you, you can learn from their errors and avoid the mistakes that they may have made in their early days of collegiate life. Below are a few ways you can avoid the pitfalls many students fall into as first-year college students.
Get Involved In Extracurriculars
Many students step on their college campus and are immediately intimidated by the much larger class size and influx of opportunities at their fingertips. While it does just take some time to sort through everything and find your place on campus, getting involved in extracurricular activities from the jump can make it easier to build community with those who share your interests.
Attend the Extracurricular Fair
Make a plan to attend the extracurricular fair and introductory meetings for your clubs of choice. Most schools have a wide variety of clubs, everything from pre-professional organizations to hobby-based groups created solely to have fun. This gives students a great opportunity to try something new that wasn’t available during their time in high school. And just because a club has nothing to do with your desired major does not mean it’s a waste of your time!
The earlier you start meeting people outside of your classes, the more likely you are to build meaningful friendships and discover opportunities you may not have found otherwise. Even if a club isn’t the perfect fit, every experience helps you learn more about what interests you.
Go to Club Meetings
Once you’ve gone to the club fair and gotten all the flyers, now make the time to attend a club meeting. Most clubs will hold first-year recruitment meetings, often with desserts to make it more enticing, so you really can’t go wrong. They’ll usually give you more details about what events they host, the leadership and professional opportunities, time commitment expectations, and more. Plus, you’ll get a chance to meet existing and potential club members, which helps you expand your social circle even more.
Some extracurricular activities, such as performance groups, require some form of audition, application, and/or pre-screening before you become a member. This requires additional time and effort on your behalf, so choose wisely when deciding which groups you’d actually like to apply for. And if you don’t get accepted, many groups will accept students in their later years of college, so don’t be discouraged!
Don’t Overdo It
All of the above said, time is a precious resource in college — between your classes and eventual professional obligations, you only have so many hours in a day. Definitely try out a few new things, but don’t beat yourself up if you can’t make it all work out.
Build Relationships with Professors & Mentors
In college, you’ll immediately meet a barrage of mentor figures in the form of RAs, professors, mentors, deans, advisors, TAs, and much more. These people are super valuable resources that you should use to your advantage. By creating the foundation of a long-lasting relationship, you will create a support network that will help you succeed during your time on campus and maybe even beyond graduation.
Go to Office Hours
Most professors and TAs offer office hours, both for lectures and for seminar-style classes. This is a great opportunity not only to get homework help but to get one-on-one time with your teacher to better understand the course material, learn about the department, and build a relationship. Especially with popular professors, it can be challenging to get face time, but many students skip office hours since they’re typically optional. However, they can make your student experience even more rewarding.
Network in Your Major
Even if you’re not 100% set on your major, since many students have until sophomore year to declare, you can still get to know people in different academic departments. Usually, department heads will host events or offer their time to first-year students to talk more about what that major offers. Plus, you can learn through the career center what kind of professional opportunities you may be connected to as you approach graduation. This can give you a better idea of what your academic trajectory will look like throughout your four years.
Ask Questions & Get Advice
Your college provides your mentors and teachers for you as a resource to ask questions and get advice about making the most of your four years. It’s their job to help you, so don’t be afraid to reach out! They likely will have advice about navigating situations in your first year that you won’t find elsewhere.
Create Healthy Routines (Before You Need Them)
College offers students more independence than most have ever experienced, and with that comes the responsibility of managing your own schedule without help from family members (if you’re living on campus). It may feel easy to put your healthy habits to the side in maximizing your time in extracurriculars, in the library, and with new friends, but once school starts to get extra demanding like during finals week, your healthy habits might be the only thing making you feel balanced.
Here are some things you can do to keep those habits intact or build them for the first time.
Stick to a Sleep Schedule
Ever heard a college student talk about how sleep deprived they are? It’s basically an epidemic at this point, especially once mid-terms and finals roll around. Even if students feel like they can survive on little sleep, it still undoubtedly impacts their academic performance and physical health. It’s no coincidence that many students report feeling sick for the majority of their freshman year, hence the term “freshman flu.” You can avoid this by prioritizing your sleep early on in your first semester, even if it feels tempting to stay up late.
Strong habits like a good, consistent sleep schedule don’t just help you earn better grades; they also reduce stress and make it easier to balance the moving parts of your new college life. So, try to accustom yourself to a reasonable sleep schedule before crazy busy times like finals week — it’ll make a big difference!
Prioritize a Healthy Diet & Exercise
Many students struggle to stick to a productive, disciplined schedule during their first year of college, which can also affect their physical and mental health. You’ve probably already heard about the “freshman 15” — that is, many students find themselves foregoing nutrition and working out in favor of studying more or spending time with friends (usually accompanied by a box of pizza). While it’s totally normal to have fun and enjoy these new experiences on occasion, not prioritizing your health will make it harder to perform at your best when you’re under a lot of stress.
Developing simple routines like using a planner, setting aside dedicated study time, getting enough sleep, and making time to exercise or unwind can make a huge difference when coursework becomes more demanding.
Use the Health Resources on Campus
Many colleges provide resources to help students stay healthy, whether it’s immunizations and testing in the health center, nutritional counseling, or free gym access across campus. During your first-year orientation, you’ll most likely find out how to use these resources to your benefit. These resources are priceless (and often included in your tuition) — make a plan to make the most of them!
And don’t be afraid to use your college’s mental health services if you need them. Many students struggle with their mental health during college — a HealthyMinds survey showed that over 60% of students surveyed met the criteria for having a mental health issue, which means it’s more common than you might think. That’s why most schools have a team of counselors and therapists ready to help you deal with whatever challenges may come up.
Conclusion
Making small changes to set yourself up for success in your first year of college will benefit you greatly in the short and long run. So, learn from the mistakes of others and avoid the common mistakes that most college freshmen make — and have a great first year of college!
