Moving out of your parents' house and onto campus for the first time can be an exciting time. After being under someone else's roof for 18 years, you finally have the freedom to do whatever you want!

After not too long, however, the lack of structure can get to you.

Here are the top ten things to do when moving to campus for the first time:

10 - Eat right

Being on your own means you can eat whatever you want, right?

Sure, but you're better off if you try to maintain a balanced diet... even if mom isn't there to cook it for you.

A study by Oregon State University showed that college students don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. Some of the factors to blame include skipped meals, poor health education, and fewer meals prepared at home.

You can help teach yourself better eating habits by downloading an app like MyFitnessPal, Fooducate, or MyPlate. These apps are useful for losing weight, but they can give you insights on the food you're eating even if you're not looking for weight loss.

Another key step is to learn how to cook.
It's easy nowadays to find easy inspiration online for beginning cooks. If you've never cooked before, look up how to make something simple. Grilled cheese, spaghetti, stir fry, and hamburgers are all easy to learn, but don't feel limited! YouTube is a great resource, with channels like You Suck At Cooking, Food Wishes, and Serious Eats walking you through all the steps.

9 - Don't procrastinate

It's great to not have parents nagging you to do your homework every night, but if you never learned to manage your time on your own... you'll be in for a rude awakening when it's due.

Start by keeping track of all of your assignments and due dates. You can either use a planner, or a digital system like MyHomework, or even just the built-in calendar app on your phone.

Next, make a daily routine to check for upcoming assignments and work on them. It's easy to put things off if they aren't due for a while, but it's not smart to do that. Set aside time to work on upcoming assignments. Start with the assignments with the closest due dates, and work your way forward. If it helps, think of this time as a job you have to do; plan around it and don't cancel unless absolutely necessary.

Staying on top of your homework will help your grades, alleviate stress, and keep you from having to pull those dreaded all-nighters!

8 - Maintain healthy relationships

Just because your parents aren't around to judge your dating habits doesn't mean you should let them become unhealthy.

You will meet lots of new people in college, and you may find some that you want to get to know better. That, coupled with the stress of a new environment, can lead to relationships going poorly.

This guide from Amherst College provides some simple things to keep in mind to keep all of your relationships - romantic or platonic - healthy.

An unhealthy relationship can be stressful, bad for your mental health, and - in some situations - dangerous.

If you find yourself in an abusive relationship and you need help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline through their website or by calling 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).

7 - Get to know your professors

In high school, you probably had teachers that you liked more than others. Many new college students don't realize that maintaining good relationships with their professors is much more important than it was in high school.

Why is it important?
This article from South College lists some of the big benefits, which include being more comfortable asking for help, getting letters of recommendation, enjoying class more, and getting a good participation grade.

You can build a good relationship with your professor by attending their office hours, staying after class, being professional, and making an effort in class from the beginning.

6 - Participate in some extracurricular activities

While you're at college to hopefully earn a degree, there's so much more to learn from than your classes.

If your parents made you join a soccer team or take ballet, you might have some apprehension to extracurriculars in college if you didn't enjoy them in your younger years.

Your college likely has organizations that align with your interests, and those are great ways to hone your leadership skills. There are political organizations, Greek organizations, organizations tied to specific majors, special interest organizations (such as organizations for Latino students or for Veteran students), and even organizations for people with specific hobbies (like video games or Harry Potter).

Can't find an organization you like? Make your own! Depending on your college, it may be as simple as getting a few signatures on a petition.

Being active on campus can help you make friends, gain experience, network, and make a difference on campus.

5 - Go to bed on time

Being an adult means having no bedtime, but that doesn't mean it's healthy to push the limit!

College students often suffer from a lack of sleep. This University of Georgia article says that college students get an average of 6 - 6.9 hours of sleep a night, which is usually not enough. The article says the consequences of a lack of sleep in college can be:

More illness, such as colds and flu, due to a lowered immune system
Feeling more stressed out
Increased weight gain and obesity
Lower GPA and decreased academic performance
Increased mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety
Increased automobile accidents due to fatigue caused by “drowsy driving”
Decreased performance in athletics and other activities that require coordination

4 - Don't be afraid to seek out help

This is a piece of advice that almost everyone can benefit from, but it's especially useful for new college students.

College can be a time when many people experience mental health issues for the first time. Researchers from the World Health Organization found that more than 1 in 3 college freshmen struggle with mental illness. The most common mental illness among them is depression, followed by anxiety (with many students experiencing both).

Colleges and universities often have counseling available for students, so don't hesitate to reach out to them. You may have other resources available to you, so speak up if you need them.

Self-medication is a serious problem, and it's one that can be avoided through better access to mental healthcare. Turning to drugs and alcohol rather than seeking help can make your problems worse in the long run.

If you are having a mental health crisis and need help immediately, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Live Online Chat 24/7.

3 - Go to class

In high school, skipping class usually meant a phone call to your parents. It's much easier to do it in college... but should you?

Skipping class is something that is very normal to do, but it can lead to huge problems. You can miss important information, assignments, exams, and more. In addition, most professors have participation grades or attendance grades that can plummet every time you decide not to show up to class.

If that doesn't change your mind, maybe money can sway you.

USA Today found that "the average college student skips 240 classes by the time he or she graduates. For students at an in-state, public university this adds up to $7,200 of wasted tuition money over the course of four years, and $24,960 for students at private schools."

For students with anxiety, skipping class can be the result of a bad avoidance habit. The thought of going to class might be too much, but it is truly a temporary solution that makes anxiety worse in the long term. This article shares some insight on how to break the cycle before it ruins your college career.

2 - Don't neglect your environment

With nobody (except maybe a roommate and your RA) telling you to clean your room, you might be tempted to leave it a little messy.

That little mess might become a big mess.

That big mess might become a huge problem.

Even when you're focusing on getting your assignments done on time and fulfilling your other commitments, you have to take time to take care of your living space.

Why? It can be harmful to your health.

This Psychology Today article explains how mess can affect your mental health. Here's their list:

Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren't necessary or important.
Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on.
Clutter makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally.
Clutter constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done.
Clutter makes us anxious because we're never sure what it's going to take to get through to the bottom of the pile.
Clutter creates feelings of guilt ("I should be more organized") and embarrassment, especially when others unexpectedly drop by our homes or work spaces.
Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brain storm, and problem solve.
Clutter frustrates us by preventing us from locating what we need quickly (e.g. files and paperwork lost in the "pile" or keys swallowed up by the clutter).

Do yourself (and your roommates) a favor, and work tidying up into your routine.

1 - Don't neglect your health

This is number one because all of the other tips point to this.

As stated earlier, mental health is a big issue for college students. Staying on top of assignments helps, but it's important to know your limits and where to go for help.

Taking care of your physical health is essential as well. Providing your body with the proper fuel and rest can make a huge difference in how you feel.

Take advantage of any student health services your college offers.

When you are healthy, your chances of success are greater!

Top Ten Tips for Taking Care of Yourself in College

Recent Posts

How to Manage Anxiety When Starting College