The times are a changing and it’s all very overwhelming, I know. Not to worry though, these new (school) year tips can help! Seniors, sophomores, and freshman alike, you can all find something to aide your stress.

Tip #1: SEE. YOUR. ADVISOR. With the new semesters starting up, of course you’re going to hear this a lot, and it may seem a little redundant, but seriously it’s important. Not only can your advisor advise you on classes, they can help you take the steps to properly strengthen your skills in your desired field. Tell them your goals, and they will make a path for you to make them happen.

Tip #2: Stock up on food. There’s no worse feeling than not having food at your will when you really need it. Spending money at the nearest 7-11 adds up very quickly too. Whether it’s a breakfast energizer bar, or midnight crave cookies, you need that source of energy and it’s helpful to have a stock in your dorm when you need to quickly grab something. If you don’t want to spend money every single day on snacks, just load up.

Tip #3: Don’t stress if thing don’t go to plan. Often times when a new year starts, we students tend to overload our schedules. Let yourself have free time, it’s not healthy for students to be booked and busy 24/7. And if you have a booked week, let there be room for mistakes. No matter if it’s your first year, or your last, things will not go perfectly staring out a new semester and there’s little you can do about it most of the time. Take a breath, or a nap, and let go of the tedious things.

Tip #4: Explore! There is so much to do around the city, so please don’t spend the year hobbled up inside your dorm. Go to Chinatown, go to Boystown, go Uptown! Your U-Pass is a lifesaver.  Make an adventure of your time here, and use it up before you graduate. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the go to know-it-all about all the dope spots in the city for your friends, that’s always a cool bragging point.

Tip #5: Actually use the facilities and resources. Half the time, it takes a person to be at least a year in before they find out about some of the things that are available to them on campus. There are multiple places to chill, to study and to use specifically for your major. Don’t be afraid to ask around for things, there’s a lot that is changing on campus so there is no shame in questions, even if you’re 3 years in. Lots of things close spontaneously if they aren’t being used, so use those goodies while they’re open to you.