How to live like a college student

Content

Steps
Tips
Warnings

There are as many types of students as there are people in the world. While many students go to college straight out of school, others may be older and continue their studies after a break. Some students dream of a life full of parties and new acquaintances, while others prefer to devote all their time to research and getting good grades. What kind of student you are will depend on your personality. For most, the time spent in college is necessary in order to learn more about themselves, to learn to live with more independence and responsibility for their actions than ever before. Fortunately, the management of colleges knows about this, for this a system has been developed that helps students clearly define their life priorities.

Steps

1 Understand two key points of a happy student life: setting goals and finding an effective balance.
- Goals are things you want to achieve. Your goals will certainly depend on your values and needs as a student. The goals can be anything. One common for all students is graduation. Many also have a goal of making many new friends for themselves. Others have budget goals. It doesn't matter what your goals are, the most important thing is that you know what you are striving for.
  1. List your goals: things you want to complete as a student.
  2. Use brainstorming techniques such as freewriting and brain mapping to discover your goals. Sometimes knowing yourself is a very difficult process, try working on goals with your friends.
  3. Prioritize the goals from your list.
  4. Your goals will be a rolling list to which you will add and remove items over the course of your life as they change. In college, goals and priorities are likely to change frequently, as do you. Therefore, you should not be afraid of this.
- Find a balance. Balance is how you learn to manage your time in order to achieve your goals. Finding the perfect balance between your competing priorities is vital. They will be completely different for each student. For example:
  1. A single mother returning from class needs to find a balance between learning and caring for her child.
  2. A student who works and attends an educational institution must learn to divide his time between study and work.
  3. For the rest of the students, it is important to find a balance between sports, study and communication.
  4. Once you've formed the thoughts in your head, review your list of goals again.
    - Remember, you may not have time to do everything, and will have to make some hard choices.
  5. Do not forget that you do not have enough time for everything you want, sometimes you have to make difficult choices.Remember, when you are in college, no one controls you anymore, as they used to. You are independent and individual. No one cares if you skip class, do your homework, eat well, or go to parties. It's all up to you, so set goals, prioritize and stick to them.
2 Decide where you will live. This is one of the most important questions that every student faces. Most four-year colleges in the United States offer student residences. And some even put forward requirements for living in them for the first two years. You can also opt for off-campus housing. Your choice will also depend on your goals and priorities.
1. Living in a dorm can be a great life experience, but not for everyone. Dorms tend to be very crowded, noisy, with many different people competing for space and time. Most of your time in dorms is spent socializing, so if you are a more serious student, life in dorms, full of constant distractions, may not be for you.
  - If your primary focus is study, but you also want to live with everyone, look around campus for secluded study spaces that you can take advantage of when needed. This could be a library, an art center, a computer lab, a place under a tree, or any other place where you feel comfortable.
  - Please note that many modern colleges offer different types of dorms on the same campus. For example, your college may have “zoo” dorms that always have something going on, along with quieter dorms where students choose to study, and even “alternative” dorms that offer kitchens and campus apartments. It is very difficult to decide on the type and conditions of each hostel during your sightseeing day, so find out more about this before heading to college.
2. Live off campus. For more responsible students, off-campus life can offer many more benefits, but there are also downsides.
- Benefits of off-campus living:
  1. Depending on your location, living in an apartment may be cheaper than paying a campus membership fee.
  2. Off-campus life gives you privacy and independence.
  3. Food and other expenses can be lower, especially if you develop the habit of planning your budget.
  4. Many would agree that off-campus living gives the individual greater access to cultural development and society, as well as a rich student experience.
  5. This option is more suitable for outgoing college students. The more shy ones should settle on campus.
- Disadvantages of this method:
  1. Higher rents, higher prices for groceries and other necessities, depending on the area.
  2. More responsibility for the maintenance of the apartment.
  3. The need to get to school.
  4. Feelings of isolation, depression, feelings of loneliness.
1. Live Greek. You can also choose your place of residence among various clubs and organizations. The Greek lifestyle often provides alternative accommodations on and off campus.
2. Visit the campus housing office for more information on these issues.
3 Control expenses. For many students, managing their expenses is a new challenge they face. Budgeting doesn't mean you don't have money, it means allocating the funds available to your needs. Many students have a limited budget. Here are some techniques for distributing and saving it:
1. Learn to be frugal. You can shop for trendy clothes from thrift stores, use coupons, shop at cheaper stores in your area, and do many other useful things to reduce your living wage.
2. Learn to cook. By preparing your own foods, you have the opportunity to consume wholesome and delicious food at a fraction of the cost.
3. Buy toothpaste and toilet paper from dollar stores.
4. Ask for financial assistance. The first step is getting loans for education and grants from student organizations. (FAFSA, link below)
5. Take part-time jobs to boost your income.
4 Movement methods. It is also a very important choice for most students. Your travel options depend on your needs, budget, lifestyle, available funds, place of residence, and even political beliefs.
1. Cars. Having a car on campus gives you the freedom to move around when needed, but parking, use and maintenance can also be expensive. Most college campuses live in a rather isolated way, so the car can be more of a problem than a benefit.
2. Many colleges offer a variety of transportation services, including shuttles, free buses, overnight transportation, and more. Learning how to operate these vehicles can be fun and rewarding as well.
3. Bicycles can be your best way to get around college. Bicycle theft is a big problem in many colleges, so be sure to keep your lock secure.
4. Scooters and motorcycles are also fine, especially if you live off campus. They are much cheaper than cars.
5 Get involved. Virtually all colleges in the US offer a lot more classes than you could possibly research in four years. For many, college entertainment is only part of a rich student life. Here are some things you could do:
1. Participate in sports.
2. Join clubs, associations and organizations. Whatever your interests, the college has a place for you, and if there is no such organization, lead it!
3. Many colleges offer coaching outside the usual academic setting. For example, some offer post-graduate leadership training.
4. Get involved or simply attend classes that you find interesting, such as learning about speed typing.
5. Get involved in campus politics.
6. Explore the area. Many colleges are located in wonderful provinces. Getting to know the countryside and natural sites can add precious memories to your campus experience.
7. Volunteer for your favorite charity.
6 Health. Getting sick while you live on campus is an integral part of college life. Fortunately, most colleges have health insurance plans and medical facilities on campus.
1. Stress is the most common problem faced by college students. Living on your own, new sources of pressure, and enormous mental stress can trigger stress you haven't experienced before.
  - Stress can have serious consequences. It weakens your immune system and changes your personality. Recognizing your inner tension is the first step in dealing with stress. While you are in a constant state of stress, it can lead to some changes in your behavior:
    - Memory impairment.
    - Decision-making problems.
    - Inability to concentrate.
    - Confusion.
    - Perception of the world in a negative light.
    - Repetitive, mixed thoughts.
    - Bad judgment.
    - Loss of objectivity.
    - Desire to leave or run away.
    - Capriciousness and hypersensitivity.
    - Constant worry.
    - Depression.
    - Anger and resentment.
    - Frequent irritability, “at the limit” state.
    - Feeling overwhelmed.
    - Lack of confidence.
    - Apathy.
    - Desire to laugh or cry for no reason.
2. Taking care of your health is the best way to insure your student experience, no matter what type of student you are.

Tips

Time is invaluable for students.
Visit your home from time to time. Try to visit family and friends sometimes, maybe on weekends or holidays, or at least call them. You can become lonely, although again, there is nothing wrong with that.
Remember, life is about choices. Do not do anything that you will regret, but do things that you will remember for a lifetime.
Be optimistic!
Be polite to your teachers. Give them gifts for the holidays, and always give thanks for the help provided. Do not argue with them when discussing the fairness of their ratings.