Veterinary student.
I think the community of stem was essential to my support and guidance for my academic and adult journey. I am still in contact with friends from the program and even reached out to Jose for guidance as I prepared for my vet school applications. The SMC SRI was an amazing experience and I still refer back to those memories and that opportunity today.
UCSD had transfer housing which was a great way for me to meet other transfer students. Joining clubs (cultural or academic) and organizations on campus also exposed me to classmates and most of my friends. I joined a STEM sorority which was cool to meet other girls in stem who are all amazing scientists and engineers. Even though they were not in my marine bio classes we still had overlapping courses and studied/spent a lot of time together making the experience memorable.
When I worked in a veterinary clinic as a technician before vet school it was rewarding help. At first I was invested into how much I could learn skill-wise but then I saw the impact of being able to assist in treatments, reassure owners, or guide someone on whether if their pet should go to a vet. Being a support in the human animal bond is extremely rewarding to me.
Be a jealous guardian of your time! There are many amazing opportunities and this is your chance to seize them, but don't strain yourself too thin or stress yourself out worrying because it will rob you of the experience. Try your best not to worry (I know this is very hard not to do and uncertainty is scary, but if you do your best and trust the process things have a way of working out) and you make the most of your time by being present.
Study groups are very helpful! In CC, UCSD, and even vet school this has been my hack was having friends to sit down and seriously study with for hours and also pooling in our strengths. I would help my friends out with math while they helped me in physics or let me see their notes for biology. Right now I'm going over dentistry while someone is helping me with embryology. Going to office hours is very helpful, remember to be respectful of everyone's time! Asking relevant questions or advice is always appreciated by professors/TA's they want to help you!
Honestly it would be a reemphasis of #4. To just trust the process and spend less time worrying. I think I also spread myself thin on things that didn't matter in 5 years and it cost me time and sanity.
Also------ taking breaks are essential, and so is physical activity. Going on a walks during my study breaks help me remain productive and efficient with my time, I could spend 5 hours reviewing 3 lectures or i could spend 2 hours reviewing, an hour break, and then the other 2 hours reviewing and I either got in a walk and/or was able to finish sooner than sitting through a 5 hour grind. There are some great youtube resources for pomodoro or other study sessions I discovered at the end of my undergrad career I wish I had found sooner.
Running, hiking, camping, art, concerts, spending time with family and friends, scavengering through craft fairs and thrift stores.