5 Basic Skills You'll Need to Survive Freshman Year

Starting your freshman year of college is daunting for some, and thrilling for others. Whether you are enrolling into a school of a couple thousand students, or a behemoth campus fit for an army, college is a unique environment which requires a different approach and a new set of skills than high school does. Without some of these basic skills, your first year will be a lot tougher than it has to be. However, applying these few skills may turn it into a gratifying and exciting experience. Here’s a few you’ll need to survive freshman year:

Multitasking

There is so much to do, in such little time. Being able to do two things at once, efficiently, is a major key for success. While it is well-known that you cannot truly give your full attention to two things at once, combining activities and overlapping work where you can saves time and energy. This is a good way to check off your to-do list while carving out time for other plans. It may take practice to be able to multitask, but any effort is time-saving.

Communication with Peers and Professors

Communication is a major step to flourish in the college atmosphere. In high school, you may get by with a shy attitude, but in college, you will miss class at some point, so you have to develop communication with either the professor or a classmate to get the materials needed to catch up. There is nobody to hold your hand through the year, which means you’ll have to develop a zealous attitude towards communicating with others.

Adaptability

One skill I believe is not given the full attention it deserves is adaptability. Being able to adapt to different situations is a concrete skill to have in any situation, but especially in college. No two classes are the same, and, obviously, they have different professors. This means that they may have different teaching styles, test formats, and class sizes. Being able to adapt to these scenarios can influence your GPA — and academic performance in general — more than you’ve been lead to believe.

Patience

Patience is a virtue. It is one asset all students must develop before they have a mental breakdown adjusting to college. Some classes are more difficult than others, which can stress most of us out to our breaking point. Being patient and continuing to study can improve the way you retain information from lectures and studying. Being stressed and upset while studying, on the other hand, will be a stumbling block to your studies.

Indifference Towards Others

College is also a mix of people from all walks of life. If you are an uptight person with multiple pet peeves, believe me when I say you will run into people that exhibit those behaviors. If you are not one to be indifferent to other’s behaviors, you will be constantly irked by the way people from different backgrounds act. Of course, this does not mean to let unlawful acts pass because of indifference. If you see someone doing something you know is wrong, say something about it. This is simply applying a tolerance to daily behaviors of some that you may deem unacceptable. In other places or in different cultures, it may be the norm, so be considerate.