Say yes to new experiences and try them more than once. Show up with confidence, because you belong. Ask questions early and go to office hours. Protect your sleep, meals and time for yourself. Stay connected with family. And keep your future in mind while you live in the now.
The end of summer marks the start of a new season: back to school. For many recent high school graduates, this season carries extra weight as it is the start of a new chapter in their educational journey: college. For TGR Foundation, this season is special as we celebrate our new class of Earl Woods Scholars who are leaving home for their first year of college. Many are the first in their family to make that trip. This year we asked TGR Foundation staff to share advice and words of wisdom based on their years working with students and their own personal experiences for the incoming class.
Their answers came back fast, and they were remarkably consistent. What follows is that advice, organized into six themes. It was written for our scholars, yet it holds true for any first-year college student starting this fall.
“Take advantage of everything college offers and get involved. Say yes to opportunities, build friendships and try something outside your comfort zone. The experiences you have there will last a lifetime.” – TGR Foundation Staff
Say yes, explore and try new things more than once
The advice our staff repeated most was to get involved and to give things a second chance.
- Try new things and try those new things more than once.
- Explore your campus, join clubs, and discover new interests.
- Embrace new experiences and opportunities to learn and grow.
Of all the college student success tips our staff offered, this is the one that is most time-sensitive. The first weeks of the semester are when everyone else is also looking for a place to land.
Show up with confidence, you belong
Plenty of first-year students spend a full semester quietly waiting to be found out. Our staff had a direct answer for that feeling.
They also reframed nervousness entirely. It is ok to feel nervous about things and if you aren’t feeling nervous, what you are doing is not big enough for you. Nerves are not evidence that you are unprepared. They reflect the size of what you are attempting.
Ask Early, Ask often
If one habit runs through all of our first-year college tips, it is this one.
- Ask questions early on. Don’t be shy and ask questions if you have them.
- Go to office hours and have your teacher put a face to the name.
- Ask for help early.
The pattern behind all three is the same: help is cheapest at the beginning.
Protect your well-being
Our staff were emphatic here, and they put it plainly: eat well, hydrate, sleep and carve out time for yourself.
“Everything is going to be okay. Take a breath and know that no matter what happens, everything will work itself out.” – TGR Foundation Staff
Or, more simply still: you’re going to be okay.
Keep Home close
Stay connected with your family. Call home and share your experiences. Build friendships, the people you meet are part of the experience.
Keep your future in view
Think of your future self. Live for the now, prepare for the future. Keep your future in mind while you enjoy the present and start with the practical parts, like preparing for dorm life by making a checklist of essentials before you move in.
WHY THIS ADVICE MATTERS FOR FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS
For students navigating campus without a family roadmap, three of the themes above carry extra weight.
- Ask early, ask often. The questions that get answered at some families’ dinner tables are exactly the ones worth asking out loud on campus.
- Show up with confidence. You belong in the room you earned a place in.
- Stay connected with your family. They may not know the registrar’s office, but they can remind you why you went.
That is the whole of our staff’s advice for first-generation college students: the same six themes, applied with intention.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the most important back-to-school tips for college students?
Get involved and try new things more than once, show up with confidence, ask questions early and use office hours, protect your sleep and meals, stay connected with family, and keep your future in mind.
Is it normal to feel nervous starting college?
Yes. As TGR Foundation staff told our scholars: it is ok to feel nervous, and if you aren’t feeling nervous, what you are doing is not big enough for you.
When should college students ask for help?
Early. Our staff’s advice is to ask questions early on rather than waiting, to go to office hours so your teacher can put a face to the name, and to ask for help early.
What advice helps first-generation college students most?
Ask questions out loud rather than assuming everyone else already knows, show up with the confidence that you belong, and stay connected with family who can remind you why you went.
How can first-year college students make the most of campus life?
Explore your campus, join clubs, discover new interests, and try new things more than once; first impressions are often just first-day nerves.
ABOUT THE EARL WOODS SCHOLAR PROGRAM
The Earl Woods Scholar Program removes barriers and builds pathways to higher education for students from under-resourced communities. Created twenty years ago to honor Earl Woods’ commitment to youth empowerment and mentoring young learners, the program offers more than a single award: it’s a multi-year, wraparound support system that combines financial aid, mentorship, career experiences and skills development so scholars can succeed from admission through graduation.
At TGR Foundation, we are empowering students to pursue their passions through education, working toward a world where opportunity is universal and potential is limitless. Through the Earl Woods Scholar Program, our network of TGR Learning Labs and educational programs focused on STEAM enrichment, health and well-being, and college and career readiness, students gain the knowledge, tools and confidence needed to unlock their potential.
To the incoming class: we’re proud of you, and we’ll be cheering every step of the way.
ABOUT TGR Foundation
TGR Foundation is a leading education nonprofit founded in 1996 by Tiger Woods. With a commitment to providing opportunities that unlock the unlimited potential in the lives of young people from under-resourced communities, its mission is to empower students to pursue their passions through education. In 2026, TGR Foundation is celebrating 30 years of driving dreams together. Through its TGR Learning Labs and signature education programs focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) educational enrichment, career and college readiness and health and well-being, TGR Foundation has served more than 217,000 students. For more information, visit TGRFoundation.org or connect on Facebook, X and Instagram.
