Finals Week

Everyone, even students who are not in college yet, think about finals. How hard they are going to be. What kind of studying will have to be done to pass the tests. Will there be essay's or multiple choice, or even speaking. The stress of finals week is always looming in the distance when freshman start the first semester. The stories of horrible exams that cover nothing in the class or professors that don't provide any helpful suggestions on what to study for the exams are always there taunting the freshmen months before the exams. However there are many ways to avoid the unnecessary stress and successfully take the finals.
Lots of sleep and a healthy diet are up there with the most important thing before finals. The less sleep you get the less material your brain can hold and use for the exams. The more studying that is done during the day and the more sleep that is obtained at night will be the most dramatic effect on the grade you receive on the exams. What you eat before the exams controls how your brain works. The healthier the foods are the better. They give your brain and body the nutrients needed to function properly. the better the nutrients the better you can work. These are the most simple things but they have the biggest effect on your finals performance besides the actual studying.
Next is the studying. Don't try and learn everything in one night. The week before finals, go over a little something each night. Reviewing that material the next night and adding on some more. If that is done for each class then there is no reason to fail the exams or not be proud of the effort you have put into the tests. There is no need or reason to wait until the night before a final to study for it. You are given a month or more advance notice when it is so you know which classes needed to be studied for first and how the professor wants things since the class has been going on for months now. The college does not care if you were sick and just didn't want to study, that will not affect your grade at all. What you get on the test is what you get. So studying and getting sleep and eating healthy are the three best things to do to pass.

Health "Freshman Fifteen"

Everyone hears about the "freshmen fifteen" or the amount of weight that those just going into college gain because of the stress and daily problems that arise in college. Most incoming freshman and sometimes even those upper classman gain some weight when the year begins. Those first few months prove to be disasterous and the weeks before finals are not much better. However with some planning and a little effort that "freshmen fifteen" can be slimmed down to the single digits or even in the negatives.
On campus, especially at Muskingum, the natural landscape around will provide with perfects space to exercise. There is not the crowded sidewalks that are prominent within the city and the dangerous of no sidewalks like in the rural areas. On campus there is the priveledge of having a safe sidewalk to run, walk, or jog on. However much you would want to and whenever you would want to. Even better is that you don't have to pay to use it liek you would a gym or fitness class that could be taken. There is also the positive of fresh air which is very healthy for your mind and body. Which can relieve much of the stress from the day by stretching your muscles and getting lots of oxygen to the brain. All of which lead to a healthy life.
Also on campus Muskingum is lucky to have it's own work-out center. Not the size of an olympic gym it caters to almost everyones needs. There are many treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and many more work out equipment to use. Being placed in between both dorms keeps it a close distance to both hills. Allowing for easy access to the facilities. For those who are going for a buff look the lifting equipment is mostly up to standards and has something every muscle needed. Yet if working out in a rigorous fashion isn't your type there is an exercise room with mirrors and exercise balls and small weights to lift. More of an aerobics/yoga type room. Yet there is also jump-ropes for those into big bursts of energy. All of these will keep the body and mind healthy which will help your brain function at it's utmost capacity. Which is needed when trying to get through that first year of college.

Social Problems

Probably the most emotionally and physically draining part of college is the problems that arise within the groups of new friends that you have formed. No one wants to make anyone angry and get removed from the group, yet the new freedom of college allows you to act however you want around your friends. However this can be a big problem when it comes to the lines that can't be crossed and who not to be crossed. Some people take offense to things easier than other people. Each person has their own limit and when first entering college as freshmen the best thing to do is wait until it is revealed how thick that line is with each person. Thinking that acting just like you did in high school with your friends that you had known forever will probably end badly in college. Meeting these people for the first time means you know nothing about them. There could be severe family problems behind why they don't agree with something or why they get angry really easy. Wait until you get to know the people before testing the limits of the friendship.
Also when you start to get to know the people don't make sudden or quick judgements about them based on their appearance or the things they own. And since you are now living with your friends which is a totally new experience, they mostly see everything that you have to own since they are in your room a lot of the time. If people don't judge you then you shouldn't judge them. Just because someone doesn't have the nicest of clothes or can't afford the most expensive things out there does not mean they wont turn out to be the nicest and friendliest person you get to know. Everyone has a life story, some peoples stories are worse than others. Some stories are better than others stories. No matter what that story is being nice and friendly to people will get a freshman student a lot farther in college and the social relationships created, than being mean and judgemental. As the saying goes "Don't judge a book by it's cover".

Exams

The worst part of taking college classes are possibly the exams. The ones that your grade depends on the ones that take the most time to study for and the most effort into taking. Sometimes there isn't a study guide, sometimes they count for half your grade in the class. And since classes here are in semesters that counts for a lot. If the stress of exams becomes overwhelming just take a much needed break from the tension. Go to a sporting event on campus, go to the cafe or hang out with friends for a bit. And then devote the rest of the night to studying, focusing on one thing at a time. Don't got over everything all at once, take it in small groups. Going over a section at a time and making sure you understand that one before moving onto the next one.
If you don't study however then you deserve the grade you got. If you pass that is great, you must really know your stuff. But if you expect to not study, take the exam and pass it with a high grade, you are delusional. Everyone has to study, even if it's a little bit. Anything could help in making sure the grade is higher than an F. However cheating is definately not the answer. If you cheat there is no satisfaction in the grade. None of it was your work, you stole it from someone else, no matter if they let you or they were not aware of it, it's still stealing. And thatgrade should count for nothing. Unfortunately a lot of college students do it, and get away with it. Just study and make the effort for your grade. If you think you did better than the grade you got, most professors will not be insulted if you come to them and ask specific questions about why that grade was given. As long as you don't accuse them of giving you a bad grade because that will not help in getting the grade raised.

Deadlines

The thing that becomes the biggest problem in college for most freshmen is the class deadlines. Getting things done and turned in on time becomes a major hassle. A problem some students never truly learn to deal with untill they are a couple years into it. Turning things in on time is of great importance once you get into college. In high school they gave you a few days to turn them in usually only slightly lowering your grade. In college it depends on the class. You could either get only a few points taken off the assingment or some professors wont even accept it if the assignment is turned in late. Giving a big zero on something that could have possibly helped sustain your grade. Turning assignments in is easy points to raise your grade. you fail a test those points could be the only thing between failing the class and passing and earning credit. Some college students their begining year decide they don't need to do anything. They can just slide by and barely passing is okay. But paying thousands of dollars to screw around and barely pass is in my opinion a stupid idea. Freshmen should get in the habit their first year of doing the work and turning it in.
This also goes along with talking to your professors. They are there for you, to help in any way that they can. If you are struggling and not sure why, they all have office hours that are meant for you the student to come and ask questions. They aren't trying to fail you on purpose. Maybe you're just studying the wrong things before a test. Or not taking notes on the right things. Whatever it is they will help in whatever way they can to help get your grade up. At big colleges they can't really do that. However in the small private ones they can provide support for their students as long as the students are actually trying and willing to care about their grades.

Getting Along with Other Students

Everyone goes to college wanting to make new friends, people they can hang out with after class and on the weekends. Hopefully ones that will be there when you need help or someone to talk to. Not everyone though can be your best friend. You have to figure out what you interests are and if you want friends who are going to distract you from everything important or ones who care about the schooling part of college as much as you do. Trusting the people you think you can be friends with too fast after getting into college can prove to be a big problem. Since you really don't know anything about these people, you have no idea if they are going to be the ones to leave you at a party to get in trouble. Or if they are two-faced and are friends with you one day and the next won't even look at you. If they pull a fast one over on you then it is not worth it to waste your time trying to be their friends. As a college student you get to make your own decisions and one of them is the people you want to be associated with, so choose carefully.
Another aspect of social relations at college is that of relationships, whether your the male, or female it is never a good idea to just jump into things, literally. Wait awhile before you decide to claim that you and the other person are together. Otherwise they could end up being the biggest jerk on campus. Or the one that never stays the night in their own room. Either way that friendship that was their could possibly be lost because of a speedy entrance into the relationship world.

Keeping Stress Levels Down

The first week of college is always the roughest. Getting to know new people, trying to understand how each professor runs class. Making sure you and your roommate are going to get along and how each of you like to live. Are they reserved or the biggest partier on campus? All of which put tons of stress on you and can show through your attitude and in your class work if it is that bad. Keeping the stress away can be simple and can improve your social relationships and your student-professor relationship.
Making time each day for friends. That is my number one tip for those burdened by stress. Doesn't matter how busy you are or what you have to do. Taking half an hour to an hour out of your day to hangout and laugh can be the best way to relax and keep your mood up. In the process you can also make new friends adding to the list of ways to relax. Now taking six hours each day to chill with friends, doing nothing and still trying to keep up with classwork will be extremely difficult. You have to find your own balance. I have made it so I don't have to do homework on fridays or on saturday nights. And for all weekend homework it has been devoted to during the day on Saturday and all of sunday. I take it as a rest and work day. Get some laundry done while working is also a way that you can achieve more things in a very small amount of time. Just so long as you don't forget about the laundry because if you do it usually is not in the same place that you left it.
Another tip to relieving the stress has nothing to do with illegal things or being everyones best friend. Working out relieves so much extra energy and relaxes you for the night. Working out after class and before dinner can be the best way. Your muscles are stretched your brain is calm and then you can eat a nice dinner in the wonderful cafeterias. After which would be the best time to get things done. And at the end you always get to look forward to taking a hot shower and climbing into bed.