The last few weeks of summer leading up to your first year of college are always the worst. The nerves of being a newbie in school again start to kick in, and the idea of living a more mature, independent lifestyle can drive any freshman to reevaluate this new chapter in their life.
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources on school websites that detail the different aspects of the college experience, helping incoming students have a relatively easy transition. These can range from major descriptions and how to prepare for certain classes, to the clubs and organizations catalog and what events are happening on campus. But even with all this information at the click of a button, a university’s website isn’t going to tell you how to dodge the freshman fifteen or how to survive finals week when studying has never been your forte.
This is where YouTube comes in handy. The online video community is chock-full of current students with a few years of undergrad under their belts, ready to hash out tips and advice about college life for their many curious subscribers. Unlike a college website, YouTube videos offer students valuable info on how to thrive in college socially, physically and mentally; and considering the first year of college is no walk in the park, incoming freshman should definitely visit the video platform for how-to guides, especially if they’re dorming and living away from home for the first time.
How to Stay Safe at College Parties
While the college party scene isn’t for everyone, there’s a high likelihood that most freshman are itching to see what it’s all about, since the media has made out drinking and partying to be a prevalent part of college night life. Yet, new students usually have little-to-no knowledge on how to navigate parties safely.
The reason being cautious is so imperative is because alcohol is a staple at almost any college party, and the effects it can have on students, if they drink too much, can lead to them getting hurt, sexually assaulted or in rare cases, killed. In addition, it is becoming common knowledge that students need to keep a record of who poured them their drink and that, if they left their solo cup aside, they shouldn’t pick it up again. Some studies might say date-rape drugs are a myth, but there is really no telling what could’ve been put in their drink if they haven’t had their eyes on it the whole time, and it’s better not to risk taking a sip and waking up in the morning with no memory of the previous night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTKGyOW0NDI
Although it is difficult to avoid having a drink at college parties—thank you, peer pressure—it is possible to control how much alcohol you consume and where you get your drink supply, all while still having a good time. On YouTube, you can find multiple accounts detailing how this is possible, and better yet, they all come from students with first-hand, party-going knowledge.
How to Stay Healthy in College
Any first-year student going away to school is bound to purchase a meal plan along with their residency package, allowing them access to affordable on-campus dining every semester. But unlike the bland school lunches offered from elementary to high school, dining hall food can be a tremendous step up in their daily meal game, depending on what college they go to; and if they get too entranced by their school’s delicious, high-calorie options, then it won’t be long before they’ve gained some unwanted extra pounds. Coupled with ongoing stress from more rigorous classwork, neophyte students might find quick comfort in eating foods like pizza and French fries, foods they crave the most; before they know it though, they’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of gaining weight and overeating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb_LA-l-Jlw&t=117s
In order to stray away from a situation like this, it is recommended that students take good care of their body and mind, watching what they eat and doing activities to stay both fit and relaxed. Many YouTube videos offer ways this can be done: meal prep, exercise ideas and journaling, to name a few. But more than that, these videos consist of tricks that have actually worked for students, and make staying healthy freshman year of college seem a little less impossible.
How to Study for Finals
Going into your first semester of college, there is no reason to be worried about your overall grades just yet. The courses you’re taking are only getting started, and even if some aren’t turning out to be as easy as you thought they’d be, you still have a few months to comprehend the class work and seek out help from professors, tutors, or teaching assistants. But if you choose to ignore this course of action and are still struggling with a certain subject, then be prepared for a reality check when finals week creeps up in mid-December or May.
Finals week is the bane of any college student, causing them to hole up in the library or any other quiet space they can find to study and stay focused. This is because final exams or papers tend to count for a large percentage of your grade in college, rather than being factored in with your other tests and projects like they were in high school. In succession, students will get super stressed knowing they have one last shot at improving a suffering grade, and want to locate the simplest means of studying out there.
Once again, YouTube becomes every college-age kid’s lifesaver. There are millions of hits that come up when you search “How to Ace Your Finals in College” on the homepage, meaning that somebody’s study hacks are bound to work for you, too, even if you’re on a time crunch.
Given how internet-savvy the incoming generation of undergraduates is, it isn’t surprising that they’d turn to YouTube to get the 411 on everything college. Current students producing videos for the online platform know exactly what freshman are going through, and want to make starting college a little less overwhelming for them. After all, you only start college once; and while you’re there, you might as well make the best of it.
