The transition from high school to college can be extremely daunting. Although exciting, many incoming college students share similar concerns about the adjustment. To help out with this, some Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School alumni shared their expertise about college life.
 
Eliza Kuperschmid (Skidmore College)
Q: What is your best piece of advice for adjusting to being away from home?
A: My advice for adjusting to being away from home is to get organized. When you leave home, you become independent which is super great but also intimidating. You’re suddenly in charge of your own schedule, your appointments, and even what you eat. To make this less scary, I sit down with my planner and try to plan out my homework and class schedule for the following week. That way, I’m organized and can focus on the fun parts of college like hanging out with friends and exploring.
 
Hayley Friedman (University of Michigan)
Q: How do you keep organized and healthy in college?
A: I set a homework and work out schedule in the beginning of each week to make sure I don’t forget about anything I need to do. I also make sure to keep my body healthy and exercise because that helps me destress. I keep a big calendar in my room where I write it all down and also a planner in my backpack. I also make sure I am eating fruit and vegetables and actual meals during the day and not just snacks.
 
Niva Patel (University of Pennsylvania)
Q: How do you balance academics while still participating in activities?
A: I try to prioritize academics and avoid procrastination to prevent stress and help manage my time. It is really helpful to use calendars, reminders, and to-do lists to make sure that you get everything done, but also have time to socialize and do other activities. It is important to work hard, but also important to keep some time to yourself to do what you enjoy the most.
 
Adam Mayerson (Cornell University)
Q: What is the best way to achieve success in college?
A: Meeting as many people as you can freshman year is so important because that’s how you find the type of people that you really like spending time with, but also friends that encourage you to be smarter, more fun, and crazy. You should meet as many people as you can because college is a big place and by meeting so many people and knowing so many faces you can make it smaller and easier to adapt.
 
Jordan Wolman (Lehigh University)
Q: What is the key to staying motivated while at school?
A: You have to keep the bigger picture in mind. Even though school can feel monotonous at times, try and see each day as an opportunity to learn something new and advance your personal self.