The Scene: Campus Life

Living on campus comes with a potential set of problems. The following tips take you month by month through your year of living on campus.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER: What have I gotten myself into?

Find a group of friends that you can really trust. Develop a relationship with someone that cares about your success as a first-year student.
Design yourself a schedule right from the start and stick to it.
When you have questions, ask someone -- anyone.
Communicate with your roommate right from the start. Speak up when you don't agree with something that they say or do.

OCTOBER: How can I study around here?

Develop and improve your study habits.
You are starting to feel like you need a break. If you need one, take one. Take a long weekend and visit your friends or family.
Keep an eye on your finances. You are starting to see how quickly you can go through money.

NOVEMBER: Am I feeling stressed or am I feeling stressed?

Work through the roommate problems that arise during the tense week of mid-term exams.
Relationships with the significant other are starting to fall apart.
Registering for next semester's classes means more decisions that have to be made.
Thanksgiving break will be much needed, but it will seem too short. Don't spend the whole break worrying about due dates for projects or upcoming exams.

DECEMBER: Will I make it back next semester?

Final exams bring panic and anxiety. Study and prepare for each exam.
Take time for a stress break. If your campus sponsors any kind of study station or stress reliever, GO! If they don't, create your own.
Don't feel like a stranger when you go home. Take time to readjust with your friends and family.
Don't shoot your roommate. They are feeling as tense as you are. You have worked through some real tough issues this semester -- keep up the good work.

JANUARY: Am I really happy to be back at school?

Campus is really starting to feel like home.
If fall semester's grades were lower than you expected, get a jump start on the spring semester.
Spring semester will start faster with more academic work right from the beginning. Keep up!
If you see new faces around the hall, lend a helping hand. Remember all of those questions you had four months ago?

FEBRUARY: Do I have cabin fever or what?

The winter weather brings the cold and flu season with it. Take care of your health.
Your roommate is just as tired of looking at you as you are of looking at them. Since you might not be able to get outdoors, find a get-away spot some where on campus.
Start thinking about spring break. Will you be beach bound? mountain bound? home bound?

MARCH: Is spring break ever going to get here?

If you don't want to study, too bad! Work through the mid-semester blues.
Take your irritability medicine. Don't let every little thing tick you off. Don't throw in the towel now; the semester will be over before you know it.
Deal with conflict. Don't ignore it; it won't go away on its own.
Whatever you do for your spring break, have a safe and memorable one.

APRIL: Why am I getting into so much trouble?

Take care of the spring fever. All of the tests and papers will be over really soon.
If you have extra time on your hands, find something to do. Don't just sit around thinking of rules to break.
If you are becoming less and less interested in your school work, find new places to study or new study groups.

MAY: What am I going to do all summer?

It is the end of the year. Final exams are just as tough as before.
Everyone seems to be falling in and out of love rather quickly. Focus on the exams.
Get yourself a summer job so you can start saving some money for next year.
As you head out for the summer, say good-bye to everyone that you have developed a bond with this past year. Don't forget to thank all of those folks who helped make the year an enjoyable one.