Hey there, pal! Without a doubt, you have many questions about college life! It reminds you of an ocean full of unknown and probably dangerous species. But no worries, cuz Nerdify is here to help!

Making it through your freshman year at college is like stepping on a way of the warrior – the secret is to learn how to fight for your rights as you learn, analyze, interact, become organized, and start to think strategically. No, the real trick is to have fun no matter what! Here are some helpful tips to guide you through the first year of college life without too much trouble, stress, and anxiety.  

Getting Organized Is the Key!

You have read it right – you have to become organized no matter what as it is one of the most important skills that you should have in order to survive through college. It does not matter what your strong and weak sides are because you have to work on other issues. They are time management, learning all the due dates for important diverse events, keeping track of available funds, and so on. We have it summed up for you, so you know what parts of your life have to be under control:

1. Use organizers, smartphone applications or a big calendar on your wall to keep track of all the critical deadlines. It should not only be about college but about anything that is important in your life. Even birthdays, invitations, financial matters, family gatherings, and scheduled meetings with college professors.

2. Organize each task from the urgent to less urgent and less difficult to most difficult assignments. This allows you to manage your time and physical strength by starting with the most important tasks first while knowing what tasks can be easily completed to help you feel satisfied.

3. Create a budget for yourself, consult with your friends and family, so you can get a word of advice and see how you can feel financially secure.

Become a Jedi of Social Interaction.

You have to work really hard on your personality and place in the society as you enter college. It is not really difficult to become a Jedi of social interaction! No matter how complicated your studies may be, your strong social skills, charisma, warm smile or a friendly pat on the back will always do much more than you can imagine! So, what exactly has to be done?  Okay, just follow this list:

1. Do not miss meetings with your professors. There are special scheduled hours that all professors have, so take advantage of each opportunity and speak of what makes you feel concerned.  

2. Meet your academic adviser. This person is really important for your success and college progress, so getting to know him or her and becoming friends is critical. In case something does not work, remember that you can always ask for another academic adviser.

3. As a part of social interaction, get involved in all things campus: student organizations, clubs, voluntary work, all kinds of fraternities, if you would like. Start a band or become a part of a college sports team. You will not only make new friends and learn some amazing skills but will eventually feel connected and at home.

4. Build a network of friends, meet new people, and do not be afraid of taking mentoring roles to support and help other people.

Building a Bridge Between Studies and Times of Leisure.

One of the worst challenges a college warrior faces is fighting for the girl or a guy he or she has a crush on. No, seriously, it is quite an issue! Just be yourself and speak of your feelings! Unfortunately, romance is not the only problem you will face at college.

Okay, now another challenge is finding a right balance between the studies and times of leisure. Out of all things, find a cozy and calm place where you can study and concentrate. Next, study course syllabus more than twice and see when and what are your due dates, so you can plan that party without damaging your academic progress. College life is always balancing between your social life and study-related events, so the best thing you can do is make it 50/50. You have to study hard, so you can party hard!

As you strive for good grades, do not forget to use all the available study resources on campus. If there are learning labs and tutors, make sure that you use their help even if you think that you do not need it. After all, they have a purpose to be here… and that purpose is YOU! Still, if you do not think that it is an option, try to become a part of study groups, so you and your friends can schedule the same time for studies and leisure. This way you can find some peace and stop feeling like letting someone down!

Battle of Priorities

We are sure that you have heard it all before, but we will say it again that college life, especially the freshman year, is a battle of priorities where important things should come first. Okay, but what is important and how to understand what is really important? Yes, studying is necessary, but unlike most guides, we want to tell you that taking some time for yourself is just as important as academia! If you feel totally stressed, no high grades will be of any good. Even if it is your favorite television show, writing a journal, playing guitar or just riding a bicycle through the park, it is just as important!

All you have to do is to take full responsibility for what you choose and work on your priorities. Try to take one step at a time as you study and make a list of what tasks are closer to the deadline, what college assignments should be done as soon as possible to stop making your life a mess. Yet, at the same time, always ask yourself about what will make you feel best of all even in the middle of a Jedi battle with another complex subject!  

Just remember that even if doing things the last minute before the lessons start could work in high school, it may not work in college. So, it is much safer to stick to deadlines and prioritize your time and resources. In other words, do not take shortcuts and do not cut corners as you progress. Do not cheat because it is your life. It surely deserves the best you can give!

When Things Just Won’t Work…

Trust us, we all have been in situations when things just won’t work and you feel like it is the end of the world! It is perfectly normal because you are in a different environment, you are away from home, so there come anxiety and homesickness among other things. Even if you always wanted to get away from home, college is not always what you have expected. There are three basic rules that you should remember to help you overcome sadness, stress, anxiety, and this feeling when you just do not want to be in college any longer.

1. Stay on campus as much as you can, so the more time you spend on campus, the more you will feel at home and as a part of a community. Join social and cultural events that take place to get your mind away. Try to be creative, have fun, joke around, and inspire people because, trust us, they feel bad too even if they do not show it!

2. Be ready to feel stressed, tired, and overwhelmed. Just know that you are not the only one feeling this way. Do not feel pressured to make hasty decisions about chosen career or a major. Give it some time, try to learn and see what it is. It is not a race that you have to win. Hence, see what you really enjoy, but take time to learn it inside out, talk to professors and other students before you make a turn.

3. Seek professional help when and IF you feel that you need it. It is perfectly normal. The colleges have counseling and health centers, so if you are not feeling well, you should let professionals know. Depression, bullying, feeling isolated, harassment or any conflicts should be reported, as you do not have to face these challenges alone.

We hope that all these little tricks and tips will help you to get through the freshman year at college. Be determined, take advantage of your social network of friends, voluntary work, and the special skills you definitely have. Have fun as you learn, give some time for yourself and remember that it is your life that you can control. You are already a warrior who is winning the first battle because you have what it takes!

Do not forget that you are studying to help yourself feel good about life and do not let any stress ruin it, just contact Nerdify for help any time.

Our Nerdify reviews team believes that video blogging is the modern type of journalism that helps to unite people from all over the world. Regardless if you would like to tell the world or the local community about some environmental issues or share cooking tips for the college students (or those who just want to taste something delicious!), video blogging is the way to go. Moreover, as we are fighting the post-effect of social distancing and the times of uncertainty, one should think about becoming a video blogger because it will help us to stay in touch with family and friends as we share our lives and skills online.

1. You Can Become a Successful Influencer. According to our experts at Nerdify reviews, no influencer that has started a video blog would get by without being the promoter with an active social position. While it may look like just walking around with a camera, there are many secrets that are involved as the person promotes various locations, local cafes, restaurants, even books and movies as the objects are getting into the frame. Think of what you would like to promote, contact the companies that you know well, and make it your business as you influence people!

2. Video Blogging Helps to Make Friends Around The World. The best part, according to our staff at Nerdify reviews, is to make friends and discover various cultures and traditions as your video blogging activity can take you anywhere. You shall receive comments and questions from people somewhere in Japan or Brazil, which will help you to learn and become more socially active. The trick is to stay friendly and show respect as you tell people about your country or share your skills with the rest of the world. Remember to provide explanations and study your target audience!

3. You Can Participate in International Volunteering Projects. Do not forget that you can also promote important social events by becoming a volunteer. You can also highlight the events and important social processes in your local community. It may be anything from environmental issues to the construction of the roads that have been promised by the local officials, yet there are still dangerous spots where the children play. As we know, the help of video bloggers cannot be underestimated as they become the voices of freedom and awareness!

4. You Can Promote Your Ideas & Hobbies. If you are an athlete or a musician, you can use video blogging as a safe way to promote your ideas and skills. If you know how to dance or would like to provide free or paid singing lessons, video blogging becomes great assistance for your promotion. The most important is to provide something truly unique! The trick is to keep your video blogging active, which will make your content recognizable. Think about how to design your intro and the ending credits and keep track of your statistics as you do so!

5. Video Blogging Improves Your Social Skills. It is not often mentioned but many of us (even those who did not get famous yet) have improved our social skills. You will learn how to form your sentences and express your ideas. If you are majoring in Journalism or Political Science, starting a video blog will be quite helpful as you will think over your ideas and will position your beliefs correctly. Always show respect and try to avoid any sensitive topics that may hurt or offend people by accident. As your videos might reach a global audience, consider this aspect as you get creative!

6. You Can Work In The Field of Marketing. Finally, you can work in the field of SMM (Social Media Marketing) by becoming a video blogger who can provide examples of various promotion methods. It can be anything from your private tutoring sessions in the field or promotion for the large companies as your name becomes recognizable. Think about how you could offer something unique for those who require promotion and make it a big part of your video blog! Most importantly, always check your content for being unique and talk to your friends who would provide you with an honest opinion as you start!

Most importantly, take your time to research your subject and consider the basic rules of video editing to make your videos stand out. It is also good to think about some outline for your video to make it interesting and inspiring. Write down the list of various ideas as you plan the next video post. Of course, we often make things live as we plan this or that at Nerdify reviews, yet live streams will also require experience and strategic thinking! Just remember to have fun and do things that truly inspire you!

When students start college, they are often surrounded by their buddies whenever not in class, leading to a very close bond. As such, it can be challenging to say goodbye to one another once the spring semester ends, knowing they might not see one another for the next three months. To help those that miss their friends, our Nerdify experts have listed tips for staying in touch with one another during summer break.

1. Take a Road Trip

With summer being three months, there is ample time for big adventures. If you have chums who live relatively close to you, you can take a road trip to each other’s hometowns, say our Nerdify reviews experts. This is lovely because you can each see where you grew up, and meet one another’s families. Or, if you live farther away from each other, you can take a road trip and meet each other halfway across the distance. That way, you won’t have to travel as far to see one another, and you can explore a new town together. For a longer excursion, many Reddit users say they take cross-country road trips with their pals, picking them up and dropping them off as they loop around the US.

2. Have Group Brunch Over Video Chats

Whether you use Facetime, Zoom, or maybe even Skype, a great way to feel connected with your group of college friends is to have a video call with all of them simultaneously. You can video chat together while you cook your respective meals, and catch up with one another over brunch. For those that miss their trivia games at restaurants, you can even play party games. People on Reddit highly recommend Jackbox games—specifically “Quiplash” and “Drawful”—which only require one computer and your phones as controllers.

3. Get a walkie-talkie app

A bit chaotic but fun, with walkie-talkie apps like Zello, everyone online will automatically hear soundbite voice messages from senders in real-time, mimicking the radio device. You can feel like you’re a spy on a top-secret mission even while grocery shopping, sharing amusing thoughts that pop into your head walking through the dairy aisle. Reddit users say you won’t hear the messages if you don’t have the app open, so you wouldn’t need to worry about intrusive audio messages throughout the day. Messages are also recorded so you can catch up when you’re free.

4. Have Virtual Watch Parties

Our Nerdify reviews team knows nothing brings chums together like gushing about the latest television show or movie. Many streaming apps—like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and even Facebook—allow for synched viewing across devices, so you can watch a movie or show with your friends across the country. Although you can’t share popcorn with one another virtually, you can still have a good time laughing at comedies or cowering in fear at horror movies together.

5. Send a Care Package with Gifts from Your Hometown

Have you been telling your college companions about a snack from back home that you can’t get on your college campus? Or, do you live in a touristy spot with some kitschy tourist shops? Nerdify reviews team recommends sending friends gift boxes that represent a slice of your home. Even if they can’t visit you, your mates can learn what makes your home special through a care package.

6. Start Arts and Crafts Hobbies Together

With so much time to pass during the summer, taking up a new hobby can be a great way to spend your day. You can learn a new skill together by working on an artsy piece by yourself or video chatting with a buddy while they also work. It’s nice to have someone else to craft with through the fumbles that come with starting any new hobby, giving each other helpful tips, say our Nerdify reviews experts. If you want to collaborate on a project, you can send each other half-finished projects for the other to complete, resulting in a fantastic physical representation of your friendship.

7. Make a Meme Group Chat

While college often involves having adventures around campus late into the night, sometimes you just sit around with mates sharing funny videos. To help fill the content void, you can make a group chat with your buddies just for sending TikToks or memes. In sending things that remind you of one another, it’s a sweet way to say that you’re thinking about them.

8. Go Back to Campus for a Trip

If you and your friends don’t live too far from campus, it might be delightful to take a trip together to see what your school is like during the summer. While your normally-bustling college town is probably much quieter, it might be a nice change of pace to explore without dealing with the chaos other students bring. This would be your chance to do the things you don’t have time to do during the semester, like sightseeing or going to touristy attractions.