I have a lot of new responsibilities as a new college student, do you have any suggestions how to best manage my time?

Having new responsibilities as a college student can be challenging. The first step to start with is to make sure you have an effective way to keep track of all your events and deadlines. I keep everything in my agenda or planner. Some people like their calendar on their phone to keep up with all their responsibilities. Find what works best for you.

From there, write everything down. Even if you’re confident that you will remember, write it down. You never know what will come up and an important deadline may slip your mind.

Next thing to keep in mind is to not overbook yourself. Be realistic about what you can and can’t handle. There are a lot of activities, sports, clubs, etc. to be a part of on and off campus. Only commit to what you can handle! Remember, you are ultimately here for school. Clubs and such are great, but there is nothing wrong with spending a semester only focusing on classes and going from there.

Last thing, I find it is best to schedule everything by setting aside a designated time for everything you need to do during your day. For example, if I have class, need to study, have work and need to work out, I set a time for each of those tasks. Setting aside time for self-care tasks like working out are crucial to being a happy college student.

–Sally Seahawk

 I live in a freshman dorm where my roommate and I sleep in the same room. She frequently brings her boyfriend over without asking and he overstays his welcome. What should I do?

There are a couple of ways to go about handling this situation. The first is, if you feel comfortable talking to your roommate yourself, you should do that. Use your “I” statements when you approach her. For example, you could start with “I feel uncomfortable when…” That way she won’t feel attacked and doesn’t immediately get on the defensive. Your roommate’s boyfriend doesn’t live there, but you do. She ultimately should understand when you explain your feelings.

If after talking to her things don’t seem to change or get any better, this is something that you need to bring up with your RA. Your RA is around to help you handle problems like this. They can help facilitate this conversation and ensure that change happens. Your room should be your happy place where you feel the most comfortable.

–Sally Seahawk

A lot of my friends are really into the party scene and I would rather spend my nights doing something else. Do you have any suggestions of what else I can do besides party?

There are so many different things to get involved with! It is okay to want to do other things in your free time besides partying. There is more to college than partying and school.

To start, Wilmington is a fun city with plenty of fun things to do around town. I know it can be hard to get the transportation if you don’t have a car on campus, but you can always take advantage of the bus.

As for staying on campus, check out The Lumina Theater. They offer movie nights for only $2. It would be fun to get a group together and take advantage of those cheap movie prices.

ACE also offers a Teal Tuesday once every month. For example, this month is Karaoke Night to celebrate Jesse McCartney coming to campus.

You can show some school spirit by supporting your Seahawk student athletes at sporting events. This semester you can show support for our tennis, golf, soccer, volleyball,  swimming and diving teams.

–Sally Seahawk