7 Things Freshmen Should Do in Their First Semester

Buy a Planner

A planner will make organizing your weeks much easier. You will know when assignments are due. It also helps to look at the big picture and prioritize tasks and assignments. I also put my schedule into my phone so I know when I have time to do homework and work. A planner also is good to carry around from class to class because sometimes due dates do change.

Make a LinkedIn 

LinkedIn is a professional social media designed to build connections. This platform can lead to many internships and jobs in the future because employers are able to view your social media especially LinkedIn. Also, in the fashion industry jobs and opportunities are largely based on who you know. It is best to start your network as soon as possible. It can just start as adding friends. Also, most LIM Student will gladly accept a connection request from another LIM student.

Have Their Resume Reviewed at CIS

It is never too early to have a great resume. The career internship service department at LIM has great coaches and career peers that will help you perfect your resume. They are located on the 8th floor of Maxwell and you can make appointments online. They can also help you find a job on campus and work with you on figuring out internships and your career path. You can request an appointment on simplicity.

Go to Academic Advising

Going to academic advising your first semester can help you explore a path for your courses determine your major and what minors you may want to pursue. They also offer numerous amount of services to help plan the best schedule for you. My favorite is the graduation planning service, because they lay out all the courses you are supposed to take and when you should take them. I found this very helpful. I found out that I could graduate early if I decide to later on through this type of appointment.

Attend a LIM Event

Getting involved in LIM student life by attending events both virtual and in person will  help build connections with people. Finding clubs to be a part of or starting your own will help you gain experience and friends with the same interests as you. My favorite event that I went to was the urban food discovery; student life takes you to interesting food places and pays for what you get. This also led me to become a student mentor and hold multiple positions in the school. I also have been able to make many friends that share the same interests and career drive as me.

Create a Budget

Learning to budget is a key skill to have as an adult. I know we aren’t fully adults yet and the idea is a little scary, but managing money is important so you can save for bigger purchases in life. Figure out how much you spend on groceries, metro, and other necessary things. The money left over is your spending money on going out with friends, take out food and things like shopping. Budgeting also helps when you are trying to save money. It also makes it less likely that you are going to overdraw your account and be in debt. 

Ask Questions 

Asking questions in class does not make you seem stupid or less informed. Well-thought-out questions show that you are thinking about the lesson, the homework, or discussion. This is the time to ask questions. Your FYE mentor is there for you to ask questions about the school or anything you are curious about. You should ask about clubs, about details about what they do, and how to join. Ask your professors what they look for in an assignment so that you can submit an assignment worth an A. If you do not ask questions you can miss out on some important information that could help you grow as a college student and an adult.