The first few weeks of college are extremely critical for incoming freshmen. Being placed in a new environment, surrounded by people you’ve only just met, can cause you to make decisions that will have an impact on the rest of your life. That’s not to scare you, but to make you aware that every decision from here on out will lead you to where you’re meant to be. While it can be an extremely stressful time, it’s also an amazing opportunity to focus on what you want to do with your life. To make things just a little bit less stressful, here are some tips to help you survive your freshman year and prepare you for a successful college experience.
1. Create Strong Connections with Professors
Having strong connections with your professors is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that you have a successful freshman year experience and a positive college experience overall. Staying engaged during class, asking questions, or meeting with professors during office hours are all examples of how you can create these connections. You never know when you might need a professional reference or letter of recommendation. Creating these relationships early will help you in the long run.
2. Meet your Academic Advisor
Your academic advisor is a key resource in terms of class scheduling, course conflicts, and keeping you on track to graduate. Here at Temple, Fly in 4 students are required to meet with an academic advisor each semester. Meeting on a regular basis and keeping your advisor in the loop with your course load is another sure-fire way to ensure you have a good college experience.
3. Get Involved
If you’re a member of Temple PRSSA, you’re already on the right track. Getting involved on campus can be a daunting task, but the organizations you get involved in can lead to extensive networking opportunities and potentially, your first post-graduation job. Temple PRSSA, PRowl Public Relations, and Temple Ad Club are all amazing pre-professional organizations to be involved in as a Klein student.
4. Have a Resumé & LinkedIn Profile Ready
As a freshman, no one expects you to have a lengthy resumé or LinkedIn profile. With that said, having these two professional reference points completed early on will set you up for success and set you apart from your peers. Remember, networking can happen at any time, anywhere. Being prepared for these opportunities will guarantee you a successful career in the communications industry.
5.Stay Organized
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve probably heard it a million times: public relations is a deadline-driven industry. Creating successful organization skills in college will set you up for success in the future. You have four years to try out different organizational skills and find what works best for you. Use this time while you have it so that you can be prepared for your future career.
This blog was written by Jacquelyn Kelly, Director of Social Media.
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