Mistakes all freshman at Georgia Tech make

College is a big move for everybody. Depending where you’re going in the world, the change could be bigger or smaller but a change is a change. And that needs to be thought about.

There’re a few things that students do at Georgia Tech that they really need to tone down. These mistakes are ready and waiting for them to make, but with a little more recognition of the size of the task they have at hand, they could easily make their lives much, much easier. Take a look at a few things that could help turn freshman life from a grind to great.

Keep an eye on your studies

First things first: pay attention to your syllabus. There are specific days and weeks for certain subjects and once these subjects have been covered, there’s no going back to them. There are loads to cram in during freshman year and you need to have your head in the game, so revise that topic list in dedicated fashion. We all know there’s a great sports and recreation scheme within Georgia Tech, but before signing up to this, that and the other make sure you’ve got time for studies, and make sure that you’re not biting off more than you can chew. That’s super important.

Always play catch-up

Linked to the above point, if you are going to miss class, make sure you catch up! Ask your fellow students about anything you have missed, ask the professors and ask the Georgia Tech BuzzTech forum. It’s there for a reason. Anything you will, you’ll want to at least be aware of for if (and when!) you play catch up.

Don’t rely solely on the library

One really big pointer is making sure you know that the library you’re hoping to do all of your studying in? It’s basically just a building full of unwanted and annoying distractions. Yeah, it might be full of all the best study books, math resources and computers, but it’s also full of people looking to distract or procrastinate. Please, don’t be one of these people.

Money shouldn’t rule your world

Another big thing you don’t want to be doing is making your life choices based on reasons such as money and income. You have an awful long time to be working in a job that you don’t like. The pay can be good but if you have a passion then make damn sure you’re exhausting it, it will be well worth it looking back. Money is always good but it’s not the be-all and end-all. Make solid choices, you’ll find much more enjoyment.

Cancel them textbooks!

One massive, massive mistake is to buy books and study textbooks from official partner stores. What are you doing?! You’ve just started classes, you’ll need to save money, so back away from the bookstore. Former students and people in the years above you will be selling these as a means of generating money and decluttering. Be wise and check forums and message boards, you’ll end up saving such a large amount of money but doing something like this.

Ask for help if you need it

One big pointer is ask for help. In general. Tutors or friends, make sure you’re always asking. Ask them to be your grammar guide, your alarm clock of just to be there. You’re going to be going through one hell of a tough time, so make them count.

Finally: remember the is more to life than working. Yeah, it’s going to be a heavy year, but there’s more to life than Georgia. You’ll be finished soon and wondering where the time is gone, but there are so many options. Work, international scholarships or business start-ups, and all of these are bigger than this next few years. Be good, be smart but take advantage of the time you have in Atlanta, because when it is gone, it is gone.

I hope a few of these things give you a good head-start as a freshman in Georgia Tech. There’s so much more you will need to know (sorry!) but these are a few things that will help you out. College and moving out will be the best time of your life but it’s going to be completely different to anything you’ve done before. So get ready for the ride!