After hours of filling out applications and agonizing over essays your hard work has finally paid off: Your acceptance letter has arrived. You celebrate, call everyone, and slowly a question forms in your overworked brain: Now what?  

It happens to all newly minted college freshmen, and the feeling can be overwhelming. The best answer is to organize your thoughts, and yourself, thereby gaining better control over your life. Here are a few suggestions on how to do this: 

Late Spring: Strike a balance

By now you’re ready for a break from the grind. Help fight senioritis, which commonly manifests itself in cutting class or skipping assignments, by restoring balance to your life. Take a vacation or just hang out with friends. Just don’t quit going to school entirely--the last thing you want is a negative call from your college when they receive your final transcript. 

Summer: Enjoy vacation and get organized

Over the break try to relax; attend freshman orientation and learn more about your school but don’t obsess. Many students take summer classes, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to do this. Try to get a sense of what is right for you, emotionally and financially. Classes are a great way to get a quick start, but if your senior year was grueling you probably should just enjoy the break. 

You can also begin organizing yourself for the move. Make a list of what you’ll need. Dorm rooms are almost always smaller than you expect, but year after year students flood discount stores to purchase dorm room gear. At the end of the year most of that gear ends up in the trash. Pack what you’ll need for schoolwork and your personal items but lay off the fancy oversized bulletin board or beaded lava lamp. 

Check out campus groups. Check online or ask for a list during orientation so when you arrive you’ll already have an idea of which community you’d like to join. If your interest isn’t represented on the list, find out what it takes to start a new group.

Fall: On Campus

Visit your advisor or department for a list of requirements. You should consider your advisor a resource, but ultimately you are responsible for meeting degree requirements. Take ownership of this task and learn what you’ll need to complete your degree and keep track of deadlines. Always keep a handy hard copy of this info for easy reference. 

Avoid the freshman fifteen. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and resort to sleeping in and eating Mac and cheese, but soon enough the extra pounds appear. Scope out your dining options for healthy choices and develop an exercise schedule. Many schools have recreation centers where you can take fun classes like yoga or kickboxing, sometimes even for credit.  

Avoid paying full price for new books. Used books are cheaper, yet most campus bookstores are more expensive than online sites. Half.com or textbooks.com are usually cheaper, but you’ll need to order your books quickly to get them in time. At the end of the semester sell books you no longer need online for more savings. 

Go to class! Unlike high school there isn’t anyone on campus to make sure you get up in the morning or confront you to turn in assignments. If you aren’t in class you will miss assignments and important information.  

Try to mix up your schedule with courses you like and requirements that don’t excite you. That way you’ll always have at least a couple of courses you enjoy. Putting off requirements will haunt you later, but solely focusing on them can seriously kill any enjoyment you have for school.  

What about figuring out a major and what you want to do with your life? That’s another story, but if you maintain your focus you’ll figure it out. College should be fun and intellectually stimulating, so don’t settle for just one or the other. Find your balance.

By Cheyenna Webber