Going away to college can be quite stressful for boys. There are many things they need to stay focused on and need to grow up very quickly about different life lessons. I will share tips from my son, a senior in college this fall, in this post. He sat with me to give his advice on various areas for incoming freshman or transfer students. Feel free to share them with your child or friends that are going away for the first time.
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Boys Going to College Roommate Advice
Make it a point to clean your area. Keeping your side of the room clean makes for a better relationship with your roommate.
Reach out and make plans with your roommate. Find an activity or two that both of you would enjoy doing together.
Keep communication open. If you are annoyed by something, make it a point to tell the other person when you are calm. Be specific in your annoyance. People will be reactive if you generalize.
Staying healthy in a boy's first year of college is key.
Do something to keep you in shape. It controls stress and keeps you focused. And it helps with anxiety. It also helps your mood. Walking or running around campus each day are just a few suggestions.
Drink a lot of water. Your skin gets pretty dry when you are in buildings and walking around outside, so drinking plenty of water will help with that. Your skin will appreciate it.
Try to get at least one healthy, well-balanced meal each day. This tip will help you think better, resulting in making more sound decisions.
Take some time for yourself throughout the week to relax and unwind. Being OK with being alone is a good thing. Getting a break from people will help you be able to handle situations better.
Getting Involved is Key to a Healthy and Fun Campus Experience.
Find people to go to lunch with. Ask someone in your class, maybe your roommate or someone you think you have stuff in common with.
Be open to new experiences. Keep an eye out for new clubs that may interest you. If it interests you, you will find your new friends there.
When looking at new experiences or activities, do not go in with certain expectations. The fewer expectations you have, the more likely you will be open to something new.
Academic Advice for First-Year Students
Stay after class and introduce yourself. If they know you in a one-on-one situation, you may get more opportunities. You will stand out to them more than a person who just goes to class.
Use the library as a place to do research and study. It is a good destination to force you to get out of your room. A library is a place where you can focus more and have fewer distractions. You can get things done quicker.
Make a schedule and write down the activities that need to be completed at the end of class. Then at the end of the day, you know what needs to get done.
Get a phone number of a person in each of your classes. So, if there are any questions, you don't need to ask the teacher; you can ask them. They would be a great study partner too.
Staying Safe on Campus advice
Don't go off campus at night. Find out the borders of campus and stay within those borders.
Add the phone number of campus security on your phone. There are campus alerts you can sign up for and get information sent via text or email to help you know what is happening near or around campus.
When you go out, go in groups of 3 or more. If you plan on going out, be sure you go out in a group. The more people, the better because if you get separated, at least you have one person you can walk back with after the activity.
Well, there you have it! My son and I hope that you and your kid have an amazing college experience. Do you have any advice for boys going to college? We would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below.
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Linda Samuels says
These are such useful tips. Going to college for the first time is such a huge change. It's helpful to have some guidelines to make this big transition time go more smoothly.
So much of what you share is common sense. But when we're in new settings, away from home, possibly for the first time, a lot of that "sense" can go out of the window. Having strategies for self-care, socializing, building community, and safety, and studying are great go-to ideas to lend some balance to a tumultuous time.
Janet Schiesl says
Great tips for anyone going to college. I especially like the academic advice. I think most college freshmen are not mature enough to know this stuff, so it's a good lesson to teach them before they are on their own.
Julie Bestry says
I really like your son's advice regarding academic tactics and staying healthy. It's great hearing a guy's perspective.
Interesting how times have changed. We didn't have cell phones when I went to college, but everyone on-campus and most off-campus were listed in the campus phone directory, and you could call on-campus directory assistance to get phone numbers for those who lived off-campus but didn't have their phones listed in the directory by the time it was printed. We also wouldn't have put campus security in our phones because you couldn't store numbers in a phone back then!
It's interesting the things guys consider; making contacts and getting to know people, in particular. Those aren't even things I'd have considered because I'm an extrovert, but most of my guy friends were introverts. I think I just took control over their lives! 😉
Seana Turner says
I only have girls, so this is good for me to read. I have to laugh because I remember when I was moving my older girl into her freshman dorm. We were focused on bedspreads and setting up the coffee station, and the guys next door (who were 3 squeezed into a tiny room), were only concerned with getting their giant TV set up. So funny! Also suggest you remember to wash your exercise clothes to avoid making your room... odiferous!
Diane N Quintana says
These are such thoughtful tips. I love the idea of getting the phone number of someone in each class. Also, stretching yourself to try new things with an open mind. Giving something a try with an open mind has a better chance of working out than if you try it with preconceived notions of it not being fun or something you will enjoy doing.