College Insights: Getting over that final hurdle

By Diego Loredo

Finally, after coming to University of North Texas, I am close to graduating with a degree in public relations. I first attended UNT in 2014 and now I am set to graduate next semester in May. The time has seriously flown by and here are just a few things that I have experienced and am dealing with right now.

Throughout my years at UNT, I have met many great people. I’ve met them in my dorm during my freshman year, in class, at work, or even just walking through campus or through downtown Denton. However, there’s a group of people that I especially am grateful to have met. I met these guys during my freshman year and what really got us together was soccer. We competed in outdoor and indoor soccer intramurals at UNT and have done it every semester ever since. Not only that, but we go out together a lot. Whether it’s to a party, to a restaurant, or even to go out of town, we’re usually together. These guys are more than my friends, they’re my brothers and having them by my side has made this senior year a lot less stressful.

One thing that I have realized is that time waits for no one. I’m almost at the end of my college career and I am in need of experience, work experience. I have attended a few college fairs and am also applying to several internships. This is something I wish I had done sooner because now I am kind of in a rush to get an internship for next semester. In the school I’m in we are required to intern somewhere in order to graduate. I could have done one during the summer but I was struggling financially back then so I decided to work instead. Now that I’m fine (financially) I am doing my best to find an internship that best suits my needs and what I want to do after college.

With senior year comes a lot of stress and this is something that I am currently dealing with. “Will I be able to graduate in time?” “Will I pass my classes?” “What about an internship? Is there anyone who will allow me to intern there?” These are all questions that go through my mind every day, along with many others.

Senior year can be scary. In less than a year, I’ll be out there on my own starting my own career. I get anxious whenever I think about it but I also get excited at the many opportunities that are available. Whenever I get stressed out, I talk to my roommates about it or I talk to my closest friends. It’s crucial to have that group of friends that you can always count on to help you when you’re feeling stressed out. Another way that I have dealt with it is going out, either to eat or to just get out of the house. This helps get my mind off of what is bothering me and has worked a lot this year and previous years as well.

Not everything is going to go your way in college. I’ve failed classes, embarrassed myself many times, struggled both academically and financially, and I’ve been discouraged whenever I see other people doing things better than me. But I’ve never let it keep me down. I’ve retaken those classes with the help of other friends, I’ve come to accept the times I’ve embarrassed myself and even joked about it a few times, I got over my financial struggle and am working to get over my academic struggle, and I now get motivated whenever I see someone in a better situation than me. You learn a lot about yourself during college. My goal now is to finish this semester strong and go home to enjoy the holidays with my family before I take my final semester at UNT. I plan on taking it day-by-day and make sure I take in every bit of “the college life” before I move on to the next step in my career.


Diego Loredo is a senior at the University of North Texas and is majoring in public relations. He is a scholarship recipient of the Brazos Education Foundation, otherwise known as “Brazos Scholars.”  He graduated from University High School in 2014. He plans on working in sports PR or for a nonprofit. He loves to play soccer and is a huge FC Dallas fan.

 

Where did the time go? Some tips to finish strong!

By Diego Loredo

It’s already the end of the semester! If you had told me at the beginning of the semester that it would be over before I knew it, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. However, the end of the semester is already here. And, all of the assignments and projects that I pushed off are finally catching up with me!

I have three group projects, one presentation, and three final exams to take. Two of those group projects are for one class and the other group project (along with the presentation) is for another class. I also have an exam on Monday, along with the final exams during the last week of the semester. Overall, I have quite a bit of work to do. It’s easy for all of your work to pile up on you during the last few weeks of the semester. So here’re a few tips on managing your work at the end of the semester, as well as a few final exam tips.

Use your time-off well

I know it’s hard to do work during a break but it’s a good idea to do it anyway. I know a lot of professors like to assign work during the Thanksgiving break so most students will be doing work anyway. Don’t do too much work during the break or you’ll burn yourself out too. But, dedicate a day or two to catch up on work or study for upcoming exams.

Keep in touch with group members

If you’re doing a group assignment, make sure to keep in touch with your group members so that all of you know what to do. Don’t be that group member who doesn’t ever reach out to the other members.

Bring textbooks with you back home

It’s easy to forget that you have work to do when you’re going back home for the break. If you have to study or have work to do, bring whatever you need that will help (textbooks, notes, etc.). Make sure to have what you need so that you won’t have to drive all the way back or blow off the assignment.

Keep track of your exam schedule

Mark on your calendar when and where your exams will be. I have a friend who missed an exam because he didn’t check the syllabus right and went to class during the wrong time and missed the exam, ultimately failing the class. Make sure ahead of time that you know when your exams are, so that you don’t risk missing them.

I know how difficult the last few weeks of the semester can be. I’m taking a senior level class and all of the seniors there are stressing over the final project. I’m still a junior but I’m still stressing out just as much if not more than them. I tried to come up with these tips based on my personal experience and hopefully they can help other students who are preparing for finals or projects. Good luck!  Finish strong!


diego loredo - 2Diego Loredo is a junior at the University of North Texas and is majoring in public relations. He is a scholarship recipient of the Brazos Education Foundation, otherwise known as “Brazos Scholars.”  He graduated from University High School in 2014. He plans on working in sports PR or for a nonprofit. He loves to play soccer and is a huge FC Dallas fan. Have something that you would like Diego to write about or have a problem that you would like to ask him? Shoot him an email at [email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

Portfolios and LinkedIn

By Diego Loredo

I know a lot of college students have heard this from their professors. “Make a portfolio and LinkedIn! It’ll help you get a job when you graduate.” I heard this way too many times during my freshman year here at UNT. But after making both an online (and physical) portfolio and a LinkedIn account, I think my professors were right about how important they are.

Being a public relations major, making a portfolio and a LinkedIn account are things that my professors constantly reminded me to do. I never really put much thought into either of them until sophomore year when I had assignments requiring me to do those things. But I’m actually glad that my professors made me create a portfolio and LinkedIn account. Although they still need work, I now have a great starting point.

For those who don’t know what a portfolio is, it’s where you put all of your professional work in one place to showcase to any possible employers. This can be from internships, major assignments from any classes, or any work relevant to what you’re trying to get hired to do. For me, I have work that I’ve done in my public relations classes, work that I’ve done with Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano, and even my resume. It seems tedious to do, but it can really impress your future employers and can land you that dream job if you do it right.

I have a physical portfolio that I made last semester in my PR class and an online portfolio as well. My physical portfolio basically has all of my work organized in a binder and separated by dividers. The link to my online portfolio is here. Although they’re not perfect, feel free to use them as an example.

LinkedIn is another way to showcase your skills, work and expand your network. I know some students think LinkedIn is a waste of time, but it all depends on how you use it. I currently do not have many connections since I’ve only began working on it recently, but I’ve already learned about its benefits from my professors. My social media professor is always telling us about how LinkedIn has landed former students jobs.

A lot of students think that you just make a LinkedIn then sit back and watch it land you a job. But you have to constantly monitor it and keep it updated. You can search for available jobs related to your major, connect with professionals who specialize in the same things you do, and much more. I’ve only started working on my LinkedIn account late into my sophomore year, but I recommend working on it during freshman year if you can. Don’t just connect with random people, but connect with those that you know or can help you land a job. Also, feel free to connect with me if you would like to here.

I know making a portfolio and LinkedIn account sound boring, but they can be extremely useful when you’re looking for a job. It’s true that they can be more useful for some majors and not as useful for others, but I believe all students should have one anyway. I still need to work on mine and get more experience, but I at least know how to use them and how valuable they are.


diego loredo - 2Diego Loredo is a junior at the University of North Texas and is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. He plans on working in sports PR or for a nonprofit. He loves to play soccer and is a huge FC Dallas fan. Have something that you would like Diego to write about or have a problem that you would like to ask him? Shoot him an email at [email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

How to manage stress in college

By Diego Loredo

I know how stressful college can be! It can go from one week of relaxing and not having any work to having a huge amount due in such a short period of time. It can all be overwhelming, and sometimes it’s just too much to handle.

I’ve had numerous experiences of being stressed out during the time I’ve been at UNT so far. I was already stressed out early into this semester when I had to do a communications audit for a nonprofit. The nonprofit ended up not being able to work with me, and I had to find another one and do the audit in a really short period of time. Luckily, I managed to get it done in time. I’ve tried a few things to help manage my stress and here’s a few that I found to be particularly helpful.

Exercise

I usually play soccer with my friends whenever we can all get together. Whether it’s through intramurals or just getting together and kicking a ball around, it always helps clear my mind. It doesn’t have to be soccer though, it can be working out, playing other sports, or just going for a run.

Go out with friends

I know this is pretty obvious but that’s why it’s such a good method to relieve stress. Take time to go out with people that you’re comfortable with. Don’t just stay inside all the time; go out and experience new things. Whenever my friends and I go out, we usually go out of town and find new things to do. These include playing Top Golf, going to the outlets in Allen, or going to a FC Dallas game. Take some time to stop doing so much work and have fun with those close to you.

Manage your time efficiently


Don’t push everything off to the last minute. Try to get it done early or at least a few days before it’s due. Not only will you be stressing out because you procrastinated so much, but it will also affect your grades because you didn’t put as much time into it as you should have. Mark down all of your due dates on the calendar or go to the library once or twice a week to do work. Just make sure you manage when you do school work well.

I know college can be hard and I know sometimes it can be too much to handle. Honestly, it’s just one of those things that comes with going to college. There are going to be stressful days and there are going to be times when you just want to give up. I know how it feels and I’ve been close to giving up several times. Luckily I’ve encountered people who have become close to me and helped me through it all.  Also I’ve learned new ways to manage my stress. I’m still learning how to manage my stress well and I hope these tips can help any college student relieve their stress.


diego loredo - 2Diego Loredo is a junior at the University of North Texas and is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. He plans on working in sports PR or for a nonprofit. He loves to play soccer and is a huge FC Dallas fan. Have something that you would like Diego to write about or have a problem that you would like to ask him? Shoot him an email at [email protected].

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

How to make a resume

By Diego Loredo

For this month’s blog, I decided to touch on something that seems to be a challenge for many students. Making a resume can be confusing and sometimes intimidating. You’re trying to showcase yourself to a future employer, and you have to make sure that your resume is both professional and shows everything that can help you land that job. I made a resume for a PR class last semester and here are a few things that I learned that could be helpful for others.

Your resume should have six main sections: Introduction, Objective, Education, Achievements/Honors, Skills/Talents, and Experience. At the top of your resume should be your contact information, such as your name, phone number, email address, and even your street address. These should be the biggest words you see on your resume. Make sure to keep the font to Arial or Calibri.

For your introduction, you should obviously introduce yourself. But, it is important to also add your major, your school, and what you plan on doing in the future. It also helps to include a sentence or two about any experience you have, but keep that part short since you will go into more detail about it later in the resume.

Your objective should be one to two sentences. It basically states what your goal is. For example, mine says “My goal is to apply what I have learned at UNT and Act Locally Waco into a sports PR career.” Keep it short and sweet.

Next, is your education. This is where you include what college you go to as well as what your major is. Make sure to include when you started attending, and, if you know it, add your anticipated graduation date. You can include your high school although it’s not a big deal if you don’t. Below your education, include your achievements/honors. This is where you show off to your employer. Include any scholarships, awards, or anything else that you think would look good on your resume.

Below that should be your skills/talents. This is the second most important section on your resume. Make sure to add skills that are relevant to the job for which you are applying. For me, since I am a PR major, I included skills like: Social media, Strategic Planning, Blogging, and Microsoft Office Word/Excel/PowerPoint. You should have at least five skills on your resume.

Finally, you add your experience. This is the most important section on your resume. This is where you add your work experience. Add any jobs that you have had, including internships. It is helpful to create a separate section where you add experience relevant to your career choice. I made a separate section called “PR Experience” where I included work that I have done during the school year for Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano, TX. Make sure to add when you worked for each job and what you did. Include at least two bullet points of information for each job.

All of these tips that for making a resume, I learned last semester at UNT. Before that, I didn’t even know how to make a resume. You may find a better way to build your resume at your own school, if so then great. This is just to get you started. It’s always important to have a resume ready. You never know when you’ll need it!


diego loredo - 2Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

Why I chose to go to UNT

by Diego Loredo

Trying to decide what college to go is intimidating. While I was at A.J. Moore Academy, and later University High School, I never really thought about college and what I wanted to do with my life. It wasn’t until senior year that I actually started thinking about it.

Senior year was hectic, and it was hard for me to figure out what I wanted to do. My mind was filled with all kinds of things: paying senior dues, filling out scholarships, applying to colleges, and other things outside of school. I eventually decided that I wanted to major in journalism and be a news reporter. I’ve always kept up with the news and I loved to write so I figured it would be a good choice for me.

After I figured out my major, I ended up applying to three colleges: Texas State University, University of Texas at Arlington, and University of North Texas. UTA was originally my first choice and I was planning on visiting the campus, but then I found out about UNT Preview, which was scheduled for November. UNT Preview is an event that invites high school seniors to take a campus tour and explore the different facilities available at UNT. So I ended up going with my mom to take a campus tour. It was cold, but I fell in love with the campus and upon leaving I knew that UNT was the college for me.

For the rest of senior year, I was just preparing myself for freshman year. I filled out my FAFSA, I won the Brazos Education Foundation Scholarship, completed my dual credit courses, etc. Before I knew it, I graduated from UHS and was already starting my freshmen year at UNT. I ended up being roommates with a good friend of mine. That made it easier to get used to the fact that I was in college!

Freshman year flew by. I took mostly basics and journalism classes. I learned so many things about myself as freshman year went by. I made new friends, experienced new things, and have matured more. I ended up switching from news writing to public relations because I found out that news writing wasn’t really for me, despite being so excited for it in high school. Public relations is a lot more interesting to me, and to be honest I did it for the money.

Now I’m a sophomore living in an apartment with three other high school friends. I’ve taken numerous PR classes, I’m working with a nonprofit, and have been building up my resume to prepare me for after college. There’s only three more months before sophomore year ends, even though technically I’m a junior based on my credits. During the summer I plan on doing an internship, though I’m not sure where yet. My plan is to do an internship with FC Dallas, an MLS team that is offering summer internships for college students, but if that doesn’t work out then I will probably do an internship with a nonprofit in Denton or Waco.

Although it’s been an extremely bumpy road, I’m glad I chose UNT and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to go to college. It’s great for journalism and PR students as well as for engineering and music. I’m continuing to learn new things as each new day passes by and I’m just trying to enjoy every little bit before I start my career in public relations.


diego loredo - 2Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

How to Start the Semester off Right

By Diego Loredo

It’s a new year and for college students a new semester! That means it’s time for relentless classes, long nights of studying, and who knows what else. For me, this is my fourth semester at UNT and I’m preparing myself for another long semester.

My spring semester is looking pretty good so far. I’m taking four classes for my major, public relations, and one foreign language class (Japanese). All of my classes are after 10 so that means I don’t have to wake up too early since I don’t have any 8 am classes anymore. Also, on Thursdays and Fridays I only have one class so that makes it easier for me. I only see myself having a problem in maybe two classes; this semester should be a good opportunity to get my GPA back up.

Now it’s time to get down to business. Going into my fourth semester, I’m getting more and more accustomed to college. Because of that, I’ve developed a few ways on how to start the semester off right. Everyone has their own way of beginning the semester but hopefully these will be helpful to any college student.

Buy a calendar!

Buying a calendar for school has become a habit of mine. You can buy a regular calendar or, like me, buy a dry-erase calendar so you can easily write/erase things. Having a calendar can help you keep track of things and make sure you don’t fall behind in any of your classes. What I do is write everything that I have to do that month so that I know exactly what is due and what I still have to time to do. A calendar is an irreplaceable, and cheap, college investment.

Introduce yourself to your classmates

I’ve said this before and I’m going to say it again. Introduce yourself to your classmates! At the end of each class, introduce yourself to a few classmates so that you have someone to go to in case you’re having trouble in that class. Or maybe you’ll be lucky enough to have a class with some friends. Having someone you can go to for help in a class will be your most valuable asset.

Dedicate a few hours a day to studying

This is hard for me to do, but it’s something I’m trying to get myself to do more. It doesn’t have to take up half your day, but dedicate maybe two or three hours a day to studying. It can even be just an hour, as long as you’re using a part of your day to get ahead in one of your classes. Another thing I do is dedicate a day during the weekend to study and catch up on my classes, then spend the night hanging out with friends. I’m not saying study every day after class, but make a schedule of when you’ll study for each class to make sure you get things done.

I know college can be stressful and not fun at all sometimes. But all it takes to make college enjoyable is to have a plan ready. Once you make that plan and stick to it, it can completely turn around your semester. If you stick to these three things, then I’m sure it’ll make your semester much easier. I’m looking forward to what this semester has in store for me and will do everything I can to make it as enjoyable as possible.


diego loredo - 2Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

New Year’s Resolutions for College Students

By Diego Loredo

It’s almost 2016 and it’s about that time of year where everyone starts to think of some New Year’s resolutions. I personally don’t make any because I usually don’t end up sticking to them, but this time it’s different. These are really my own personal New Year’s resolutions for college but some of them (or all of them) can apply to other students in college.

The struggle has been real this semester. I moved into an apartment and took tougher classes. The fact that I was in an apartment meant that I didn’t have the luxury of being on campus. That resulted in me, more often than I should have, skipping class because I didn’t want to drive or take the bus to campus. My grades also went down a bit because of the tougher classes I took. So I decided that I would create several New Year’s resolutions that I would, hopefully, stick too for my 2016 spring and fall semesters.

Don’t take 8 am classes!

This semester I learned just how hard going to 8 am classes can be. I am not a morning person and waking up at 7 to get ready for my 8 am classes was harder than I thought it would be. I took one my first semester, but I was living on campus so that made it easier to go to class. However, this semester I was in an apartment that was 15 minutes away from campus. Because of that, I would often choose to sleep in (which resulted in my grades going down). Unless you have to or you’re a morning person, I would avoid taking 8 am classes.

Save money

It doesn’t have to be a lot at once, but it would help to have a little savings in case of any emergencies. Maybe put in $10 or $20 a week. It doesn’t sound like much but eventually it’ll add up. This will come in handy whenever something comes up. My car broke down earlier this year and I had no money saved up that I could use to pay for it. I ended up borrowing money from my mom, which I later paid back. Let’s face it, we’re always going to run into something unexpected. Having some money saved up will be a huge help.

Work out more

I definitely need to do this. I gained weight my first three semesters and really am not as fit as when I was in high school. I worked out for a bit my second semester but then stopped. I play soccer every now and then but that isn’t enough to get back in shape. So next semester I’m going to try to work out more. Working out can also be a good stress reliever for college students. Lifting weights or going for a run can help free your mind from any worries. Eating healthier can also make you more productive throughout the day.

Step out of your comfort zone

Yes I know, everyone says this, but it’s true! We all need to do this. I never really did that my first three semesters and I need to change that. For others, this can mean attending events on campus, joining new organizations, or just introducing yourself to others on campus or in class. For me, it’s going to the gym to work out more. Like I said before, this is something I need to do. The more I do it, the quicker I become comfortable going.

Don’t procrastinate!

This will be the most difficult New Year’s resolution for me. I love to push things off until the last minute. Instead of writing that essay that’s due in a few days, I would just take a nap. This is a really bad habit of mine and I’m sure it’s the same for other college students. We all procrastinate, but we can also control it. Now I’m not saying to finish your work the day it’s assigned. Start out small, plan to finish your assignment a week or a couple days before it’s due to allow some time to look over it and make sure you can turn in your best work. It’s okay to procrastinate a little every now and then, but I need to try to keep it to a minimum.

I’ll be honest, I hate New Year’s resolutions. I never stick to them and I think they’re a waste of time. But this time, I figured that I would give it another try. I think the reason why most people don’t stick to their resolutions (myself included) is because we all make these unrealistic goals for ourselves that we usually give up on a week into the New Year. I think that these resolutions that I made are realistic enough for a guy like me to achieve, and hopefully for others to achieve as well. No matter what your New Year’s resolutions are, hopefully you’ll stick to them throughout the year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


diego loredo - 2Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

How to Prepare for Final Exams

By Diego Loredo

One of the biggest reasons why college can be stressful is because of final exams. It’s unavoidable. Every student has to take them at the end of the semester (unless your teacher decides to not have one). It can be really stressful studying for these exams, but they’re not that bad if you do the right things.

Final exams are almost here, which always causes students to stress out (myself included). My first semester experiencing college final exams was tough. I wasn’t really prepared and would often be up late at night in my dorm studying for my exam the next morning. But now that I’m a sophomore, I’ve gotten kind of used to finals and have developed my own way of studying for exams.

Review your notes!

I know this seems pretty obvious, but it isn’t something you should underestimate. Some professors do not provide review sheets and just say “your notes are your review sheets.” Trust me, it sucks when that happens. Hopefully this is something that you’ve been doing throughout the semester, if not ask to borrow a friend’s class notes. Read over your notes and maybe compare them with a classmate’s.

Work on the review sheet with your classmates

The more the merrier, right? Although you might prefer to study on your own so that you can focus, studying with a group of classmates has its advantages. You might learn something from your classmates that you might have missed during class. Also, if there is something you didn’t understand, maybe your classmates know and can help you understand. Working on the review sheet with a few classmates is always better in my opinion.

Study early

Don’t wait until the last minute to study for exams. It’s best to study about a week or two before the exam to ensure that you can go over the material as much as possible. Waiting until the night before to study for an exam is the worst thing you can do. I learned this the hard way. During my freshman year, I waited until the day before my final exam for statistics (which is the toughest class I have taken so far). That wasn’t a very smart decision, especially regarding how hard stats was for me, and I ended up getting a D on the exam. I got a C for the class, in my defense I was two points away from a B! Anyway, always make sure you study early on to make sure you don’t miss anything.

Have a friend quiz you

One good method of studying is having a friend quiz you over what will be on the exam. Ask your roommate or a classmate to ask you questions that will be on the exam. Keep track of those you get right and those you get wrong. Doing this will give you a sense of what you need to study and what you already know and don’t need to study as much. Do this several times until you are confident enough to take the exam. This will also help you memorize material for the exam.

Relax!

This is probably the most important thing to remember when studying for exams. Just relax! Don’t stress too much over exams, overthinking it will only hurt your chances of getting a good grade. There’s also such a thing of studying too much. Take a few breaks while studying. Just stay calm and be confident!

Exams can be intimidating, but if you study properly then you should do well. However, don’t get discouraged if you get a bad grade on one or more of your exams. It happens to all students, just think of what worked for you and what didn’t work and use that to come back stronger next semester. These last few weeks of the semester are always hectic, with final projects being due and studying for finals, but as long as you stay calm and study properly you should be fine. Best of luck!


diego loredo - 2Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

How to Make the Most Out of Your Freshman Year

by Diego Loredo

You just graduated high school, you’ve been anticipating this moment all year, and now you’re finally here. You’re a college freshman! Although it can be fun and exciting, starting college can also be a huge challenge.

Starting college is a huge step in your career and in life. So don’t feel bad if you’re intimidated by it. Everyone goes through challenges during freshman year. Some may include making new friends, getting used to the classes, etc.

I’ve experienced many challenges my freshman year at UNT, so I know how it feels. My first semester was particularly tough. Mostly because of one class, statistics… That was, and still is, the toughest class I have ever taken. There were numerous homework assignments that took me hours to do, several exams that I studied all night for, and concepts that I just could not understand. Luckily, I made a few friends in that class who helped me get by. Statistics was also the first class ever where I got a D on an exam, which was the final exam (I still managed to pass with a C).

I didn’t really have any problems making any friends, literally the first week I moved into my dorm I made a small group of friends. Also, I was roommates with a good friend of mine that I have known since freshman year of high school. I introduced my roommate to my other friends and we all started hanging out all the time. We made a team for the outdoor soccer intramurals and met some other people who joined our team. After the tournament, which we made it to the playoffs but unfortunately lost 3-1, we had our own little group. They made it easier for me in my transition to college.

During my freshman year, I’ve encountered many different kinds of people, such as the guy who walks around campus with a flower pot on his head (I’m serious). I also enjoyed, and disliked, some of my classes and learned many things. Here are a few things that have helped me get through freshman year and will hopefully help you too as you continue to go through your transition into college and for others who will soon start their freshman year.

Find your own clique!

This is what I think is the most important thing to do your freshman year. You may have chosen to go to a college away from home to get a fresh new start, but it always helps to have a group of friends that you can depend on. Start by introducing yourself to people in your dorm or in your classes, or if you are living with a friend, the two of you can introduce yourselves to others. Having your own little clique will no doubt make college a lot easier, and more fun, for you.

Join an organization!

Your college is bound to have something that interests you. Whether it’s a debate club, photography club, or various sports clubs, find something you like! Joining some club or organization is always fun and it keeps you busy so that you won’t be stuck in your dorm all day (more on that later). Plus, joining an organization will help you meet people with similar interests as yours.

Attend events!

College campuses are always holding events to get their students involved. Your college should be no different. I’m sure there are countless events going on at your college every month. Go to a few of them! Get your roommate to go, or a few of your friends. Going to campus events are usually fun and you could win free stuff! Plus, it can get you interested in something you thought you never would.

Get to know your classmates!

This is extremely important. Introduce yourself to your classmates. I suggest you share notes or host study sessions. You never know when you will need your classmates’ help and vice versa. This will especially come in handy when exams start. Also, get to know your professor and attend study sessions held by TA’s.

Don’t stay in your dorm all day!

This was difficult for me. Every day after class I would head to my room and take a long nap. Sometimes I would just stay in bed all day. Luckily, my friends convinced me to get out more. If possible, don’t stay in your dorm all the time. Get out more! Hang out in your dorm lounge or game room, play sports outside, or go to various locations on campus with some friends. Although it’s fine to stay in your dorm every now and then, make sure that you go out too!

I’m not going to lie, freshman year was tough. It took me a while to get used to it but once I did, I became a lot more comfortable at UNT. My friends no doubt played a huge part in it. We made a lot of memories together, such as playing football in the snow and intramural sports. Along with having those friends, getting involved on campus helped as well. I believe these things that I did are what all freshman should do. Make new friends, get involved, study, and just have fun!


diego loredo - 2Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.

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