5 Back-to-College Tips for Fall 2015

There’s a lot to remember when school starts.

New classes, new professors, and for some one of you a whole new campus. While you’re trying to manage all these new experiences, you also have to figure out where to meet new friends and how to avoid that dreaded freshman fifteen.

Allcal is all about making your life a little more organized, so we’ve put together our favorite back-to-college tips for Fall 2015 to help you survive your first, second, or even thirteenth year of college.

1. Register for classes early

Most universities and colleges have a very specific time that you can start signing up for classes.

Make sure to know exactly when that is (even to the hour in some schools), and put it on a calendar so you won’t forget. Even better – add a reminder a few hours before to make sure you’ve picked out all your classes, so that you know exactly what you want when it comes time to register.

If you’re not quick, you could miss out on that underwater basketweaving class you really needed.

2. Get involved

Going to college is about more than getting good grades. It’s about strengthening your character, making friends, and being part of a larger community.

One of the best ways to do all three of these things is to get involved with a group or organization on campus.

The University of Texas in Austin is home to Texas THON, a student-run group that raises money for a local children’s hospital with a 12-hour dance marathon. It’s an exciting event that puts a ton of students together in one room, shaking it for a great cause.

“The Day Of event in the spring helps to bring together Longhorns from all across campus and all walks of life, uniting them for a common cause and a fun-filled twelve-hour period,” Kristin Sheard, Texas THON Partnership Director, said.

The group also has events like pancakes, ball games, and parties throughout the year, that they share with its members using Allcal’s unique calendar sharing solution. This gives students plenty of opportunities to make new friends, and be a part of something bigger than themselves.

For Sheard, getting involved with Texas THON is a significant part of her entire college career.

“It’s my greatest accomplishment, my favorite extra-curricular, my home away from home and my daily motivation to do the things that I do.”

If you don’t know what your passionate about – no problem! Try out several groups and keep an open mind until you find the group or cause that becomes your daily motivation.

3. Get in touch with your professors

Your greatest allies in the battle for your degree are your professors.

After you sign up for one of their classes, send them an email saying how excited you are for their class. You can also ask them about the best ways to prepare for the class and how to properly study the material.

Having the professors on your side always helps, especially when you struggle with a particular subject.

4. Form a study group

If you look around you in the classroom, you’ll find many other people there that have to do the exact same assignments and take the exact same tests as you.

It seems obvious that you should get together and study to help each other succeed in that class. Forming a study group can help you turn a class you struggle in to a class you love to go to. To help you and all your classmates stay connected, schedule your study group on Allcal.

Allcal lets you plan events and share them with your classmates so you can all coordinate with each other and instantly update each other on when the next group meeting is.

5. Avoid the freshmen fifteen

Everyone’s heard about the infamous weight gain all freshmen go through when they start college – and we’re sorry to admit its a very real thing.

The stress, the new environment, and the cafeteria food are all contributing factors – but you can fight them off with a few proactive decisions

Choose the healthier options at your cafeteria, take advantage of the rec center or gym closest to you, and find an active buddy that will motivate you.

For more tips for using Allcal, go to our website or email our team directly at team@allcal.com.