For the Last Time.

Remember when I didn't update my "Fresh Advice from a FreshMAN" blog very often? Oh, wait. That wasn't too long ago.

I apologize for not updating this as much as I said I would. Or maybe I didn't say how much I would. Either way, I intended to write a new blog about once a month. Silly me. College is too busy for that. Can't believe I thought I'd have time for that. Hah. Just kidding. Sort of.

Either way, as a new class has graduated from high school, I figured it'd be beneficial to write out every bit of advice I can give to the latest incoming college freshman. So, here it is. Nuggets of wisdom from Gary Conachan.

1. Don't over commit yourself. Don't be afraid to say "no" to things. Only commit yourself to one or two things, especially at the beginning of your first year of college. It takes time to adjust, and whether you've been a good student or not, committing to a lot of things will hurt your grades. Trust me.

2. Stand up for what you believe in. Even at a Christian university (if that's where you're headed), it can be easy to go with the crowd and compromise values. If you don't feel comfortable with something, don't be afraid to voice your opinion and make it known. I regret not doing this more.

3. Whatever you do end up being involved in, make sure it is something you enjoy and are truly passionate about. It's better to give your best to one or two things than it is to give partial effort to a myriad of things.

4. Utilize calendars and planners. Mapping out reading, homework, and deadlines helped me out a lot. It helped me keep track of the work I had ahead of me without getting too overwhelmed. Plus, being a guy, it allowed me to focus on one thing at a time. Not trying to stereotype, but it helped me a ton to do it this way.

5. Make the most of every moment. As cliche as it sounds, it could not be any less true. Freshman year flies by incredibly fast, and from what I've heard, so does all of college. You don't want to look back on your four years having regrets, do ya?

6. Communication, communication, communication. Make sure to communicate to your roommate(s) exactly how you feel (with some wisdom, of course), what responsibilities need to be shared, what expectations you have, and so on. This is the best way to minimize later conflict.

7. Even if you are not working during your first year of college, if you have any kind of money at all (graduation money?), plan out your expenses for the semester or even for the entire school year. Just 'cause you received a ton of graduation money does not mean it will last you forever. It vanishes... fast. Make sure to keep a savings of $500 to $1000. After all, Dave Ramsey says you should do it. So why not? Something could happen to where you need that money you saved up!

8. Have a blast! Your freshman year will surely be the best year of your life (so far). Don't take yourself, others, or life too seriously. Make sure to get out and have fun. Although academics are important, you need to enjoy yourself too. College is about 50% academics, 50% social life. Or something like that. Either way, don't lock yourself up in the library 24/7.

Well, there it is!

Congratulations, Class of 2012! I'm proud of you guys!

End of the Semester.

First off, I would like to apologize for my inconsistency as far as blogging goes. As you probably know (or have heard), college life can get pretty busy sometimes, so there came a point where I quit blogging for a while. However, now that the semester's over and I've been through my first round of college finals, I'd like to reflect and give you some pointers.

When it comes to finals, make sure to begin studying for them at least a week ahead of time, and try to study for each subject for a considerable amount of time each day before the final. You'll want to study more for the finals that are coming up sooner, but you'll still want to give each subject some study time every day. Studies have shown that studying materials over a long period of time will help you retain the information better.

As for other pointers, make sure to get lots of sleep and eat well (heck, just make sure you're eating). Proper hydration will also help boost your mental clarity and focus, thus improving your test scores.

A lot of college can't be known until you experience it. However, as far as finals go, that is about as much as I can tell you (and think of) for now.

Whether you're still in the college search or in the middle of your freshman year like I am, you can always keep these tips in mind as you go throughout your journey.

That's it for now. Happy New Year's!

Week 3: Studying.

Being a month into school, I figured it is time to tell you what I have found to help me be the most successful when it comes to academics. So really, there are going to be many tips within this one blog. It is kind of like a double-stuffed Oreo, except cooler, because you are getting more than double what you would usually get.

Tip #1: Study in the library (do not study in the dorms).

It's wise to learn early on that studying in your dorm is not a good idea. Since people live there, they will find it as the place to be themselves and have fun. Unfortunately, that can distract you from getting work done. It's not like home where you had several rooms in your house in which people could do whatever they wanted and not distract anyone else. You won't get much done if you try to study in your dorm.

The library is a great place for studying because it's quiet, and everyone's there for the same purpose: to study. I've gotten a lot done when I go the library, so I'd definitely recommend it.

Taking friends to the library to study with you can be helpful as well, but I'd be a little more cautious on this one. While friends can be helpful, they can also be a huge distraction. Choose wisely. :)

Tip #2: Plan out your homework for the week.

I actually just started doing this this week, but I've already found it to be extremely beneficial. On Sunday I planned out what I had to do each day so that I would not have to cram all my homework and studying at the last minute. It makes it less overwhelming, and makes you feel better because you actually get things done.

Tip #3: Study/review with friends.

When it comes to exams, studying with friends can be one of the best ways to do it. Talking out what you've been learning and helping each other remember all the necessary information can be really effective. As mentioned before, choose friends wisely. Some will help you study. Others... will not.

Tip #4: Do all the reading.

Believe it or not, most of your "homework" in college is do a ton of reading. Make sure you read the material when you're supposed to (as quizzes might come up) and read it as thoroughly as you can. You might not understand it all, but it's better than not reading it at all. Highlight and mark your books when you need to. Interacting with the text is extremely beneficial because it helps you understand it better.

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These are all the tips I can think of for now, and trust me--there will be plenty more to come. If you do all these things (or more importantly, what works best for you), you'll be sure to succeed academically.

Week 2: Involvement

Let's face it: you were the student, who, during senior year, got involved in everything. Leadership, choir, band, sports, Spanish club, Art club, Bible study, and Student-led Yoga. (Okay, so maybe I'm a little off here.) In high school, it's easy. College... well, that's an entirely different story.

Being one of those students who was involved in everything my senior year (well, not everything, but close), I easily could have come into my freshman year of college thinking, "I'm going to seize every opportunity that comes my way!" Fortunately, I had people giving me advice before I went into college, so I knew that that definitely wasn't going to happen.

At the beginning of freshman year, in fact, I hardly pursued anything. Men's Chorale (aka "man choir") was the only thing I committed to prior to college. I knew that things were going to get crazy, and my studies were going to be more difficult than high school. So, I took it little by little. A leadership opportunity came up? I applied. A chance to be on worship team? I auditioned. There were two other things aside from these I applied for, which was really good for me. I kept my involvement to a minimum.

I didn't get selected for one of the leadership positions I applied for, but I did make it into everything else. I'm not saying this to brag (sometimes not making it into something can be a blessing in disguise), but it turned out to be the perfect amount of involvement for me. Each of the things I made it into required only a few hours a week, with a few more hours on occasion.

Long story short: don't overload yourself in college. If your studies take up too much time, don't get a job. Don't stress about it. If you can't apply for that leadership position because school and work take up a significant amount of your time, don't worry about it. It's only freshman year, after all. Before you know it, you'll find your ground and know how much you can handle.

On the flip side, get involved. Doing absolutely nothing except school is a little ridiculous. Plus, you want college to be fun, right?

Get out there. Have fun. Get involved.

On the same token, focus on what you need to. There's no need to overwhelm yourself. After all, this is college. It should be the best years of your life.

(So far.)

Week 1: Names.

You may be wondering what this blog is all about. Well, let me tell you:

Being a freshman in college, I figured it'd be a great idea to blog all things relating to freshmen. Basically, advice on how to succeed your freshman year. Hopefully this will be a little humorous, and not completely serious. I know I'm not very up-to-date on this, especially as most colleges started school already. But here it goes. Fresh advice from a freshman.

WEEK 1.

Don't kill yourself trying to learn everyone's names.

In all reality, it's going to be useless. You're going to meet thousands of people in your college experience, and you'll a lot of people in a short amount of time at the beginning of your freshman year. At my school, I met several Alex's, Tyler's, and Andrew's. When one guy said his name was Tyler, I responded, "Of course it is." Don't worry, he wasn't offended; I made a joke of it.

For a while, trying to learn everyone's names really confused me (I started forgetting the names I did know, there were so many in my head). All-in-all, take it a few names at a time. Realistically, you're only going to remember the names of the people you spend a significant amount of time with (either that or something really stands out about them, like purple hair or a tattoo covering their entire body). Unless you're a genius and insanely talented at remembering names.

As much as you may want to learn everyone's names, don't fret over it. You have plenty of time. After all, it's only freshman year.