7 Things You Must Do to Have a Great College Experience

Being in college is one of the most fascinating chapters in life that most of us will experience. It's that time when stories about our struggles with demanding subjects, wild parties that last all-night-long, and the numerous experiments to find ourselves are typically made. Hence, why going to college is a big deal for most people. However, there's no guarantee that everyone's going to have a great college experience.

Fortunately, there are tips you can follow to have a good time as a college student. If you like to know what they are, then just keep on reading because here are the 7 things you must do to have a great college experience.

1. Don't Just Observe, Get Involved

You are not going to have a great college experience if you're just going to sit by the sidelines and watch others enjoy theirs. Most Filipino universities in the country, big or small, have different groups and student organizations that you can sign up for.

Whether it be in sports teams or clubs that center around specific interests, several benefits await you once you decide to participate in school clubs instead of just watching them from afar.

Some of them are listed right below.  

• It's an awesome opportunity for you to meet new friends
• You get to spend time with people with whom you share the same interests with
• It boosts your confidence
• It helps you develop your social and communication skills.
• Teaches you how to be more responsible
• You'll acquire new knowledge

2. Be More of a Social Butterfly and Less of a Wallflower

This isn’t an attack towards introverts (we know there's a lot of you) but it's the truth. Social butterflies tend to have more fun and better college experience than those who prefer to spend their time alone. College can also be a very lonely place since you're most likely away from your family and high school friends. So, if you can (and if you want to), try your best to be more present in social situations to gain new peers.

Here are a few ways to help you be more sociable:

• Attend school events
• Be a member of clubs
• Befriending your classmates
• Meet your professors

3. Don’t Skip Your Classes

The main reason why you’re in college is to study, so it must always be your top priority. As a college student, you must invest an ample amount of time and attention in your lessons; not being able to do so will result in poor academic performance that could affect your GPA and also be a waste of money. Because unless you study at the University of the Philippines or other state-owned schools, the tuition fees aren’t cheap.

Practice good study habits to avoid skipping classes, not meeting deadlines, cheating your way through exams, and more. Remember, a big part of your future career still depends on how you perform academically. So yes, your lessons should always be your priority.

4. Volunteer

Another form of putting yourself out there and being more sociable is volunteering. Try to ask the school admin staff if there are organizations within the campus or even in the local area that you can apply to as a volunteer.

You might be wondering how volunteering would give you a great college experience. Well, listed below are a few answers to that.

• It gives you a sense of purpose
• You get to meet new people
• It develops your social skills
• It gives you the feeling of belongingness
• You gain a new perspective on a lot of things
• It can help boost your self-esteem
• You get to establish and expand your network
• It can be added to your resume

Doing volunteer work isn’t mandatory in most universities these days. But if want your college experience to be memorable and fulfilling, then this is definitely one of the best things you can do.

5. Utilize What Your University Can Offer

Most, if not all, universities in the country offer a list of facilities and services that their students can avail themselves of. So, if you have time, and you want to, why not try them out?

The resources that your university may offer will be different from what other schools do. But typically, you'll get access to things such as:

• Basketball court
• Tennis court
• Gym
• Track field
• Pool
• Computer labs
• Library materials
• Tutoring sessions
• Counseling and other mental health services

Using the resources that have been provided isn't something to be shy about.  Why? It's because not only are they there for students like you to enjoy, but you can also use them to get over difficulties with your lessons and personal matters.

6. Keep Your Stress Levels in Check

College is also a notoriously stressful time as you have to juggle your studies, social life, personal relationships, and a possible job at the same time. And not to mention, you are most likely going to live alone, so you also have to take care of your weekly grocery, monthly bills, and budget planning as well. These stressors can affect your well-being and prevent you from getting the most out of your college experience.

Having high levels of stress can harm your physical and mental health. Luckily, there are self-care tips that you can follow to keep your stress levels in check. Listed below are some of them.

• Go on a walk
• Take deep breaths
• Exercise
• Meditate
• Eat your comfort food
• Go on study breaks
• Watch your favorite tv-series/movies
• Listen to your Spotify or Apple Music playlists

7. Find Yourself

As you may know, college is a fantastic place for exploration and self-discovery. Whether it's about specific classes, courses, clubs, or even people, finding your passion and figuring yourself out may result in the best college experience you can ever have.

There are different ways to find yourself while in college. An excellent example is by signing up for classes that talk about topics that you find interesting. Another is to join clubs that deal with things that you think maybe out of your zone.

And remember, don't be afraid to make mistakes along the way, your journey is a unique process, and every lesson that comes with it, good or bad, should be learned.

Final Words

There’s no guarantee that everyone will have a great college experience. But if you follow the tips that we shared above, you have an excellent chance of having one. Before we go, here's one final tip for you, don't forget to have fun.  

That’s it for this article, but would you like to read more blogs to help you with your college journey? Something like the 5 Steps You Can Follow to Have a Successful College Experience? Then head over to CourseFinder’s articles section that contains high-quality and informative pieces to help you out.