19 Pretty Damn Useful Books to Read in College – Freshmen Edition
Starting your freshmen year and looking for books to read in college?
Or:
Maybe you know someone who’s a new college student?
Either way:
It’s no secret that a good book can provide much more than just entertainment. I’ve put together this list of must read books for college freshmen to get, and keep, them on the track for success.
Freshman year can be stressful!
There are so many new things to learn. To name a few that would include: making new friends, picking a class schedule, dealing with roommates, living in a dorm and figuring out how to budget.
New college students and college bound teens will get a lot of advice, but it’s hard to remember it all in the moment…
When it comes down to the reality of being on your own for the first time, some things go by the wayside.
Help a student (or yourself) out by giving them books filled with helpful college tips, that can be reached for when they need help or feel “stuck”. College is more than academics and the right books can give guidance on how to balance all aspects of life.
Now:
Here’s my freshmen edition of books to read in college!
18 Books to Read in College – Freshmen Edition
1) How to College
How to College:Â a book that shows college students how to successfully balance it all without losing their minds.
This book reveals how the top students get the best grades doing the minimum amount of work.
Less work, and more play? Count me in!
This step-by-step guide is for any student (before they start or finish college) who wants to get the MOST out of college. Out of all the books to read in college, this one should be high on your list.
2) 1001 Things Every College Student Needs to Know
1001 Things Every College Student Needs to Know: like buying your books before exams start!
This book is a valuable resource for not only those who are new to college, but more seasoned students, as well.
It’s packed full of useful tips that are quick to read and easily digestible. This book is also small, making it easy to take with them to college.
3) College Hacks
College Hacks: life simplifying tricks every college student needs to know! This book has tons of ways to make the college experience easier.
This guide provides information on a wide variety of common student problems; from how to ace an exam to how to remove a stain from a shirt, to what do when there are no more clean dishes. The College Hacks book has a little bit of everything.
After all, why make something harder when you just work smarter?
4) Never Eat Alone
Next up on this list of books to read in college:
Never Eat Alone (Expanded and Updated): And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time.
College students will often hear that networking is important….
….but less often exactly how they’re suppose to go about doing it!
Networking can be a big part of success after graduation and the relationships for networking success start in college. Help a student learn about the ins and outs of networking and the value of creating lasting relationships with this book.
5) Stuff Every College Student Should Know
Stuff Every College Student Should Know (Stuff You Should Know). A great book that covers just about everything: how to pick a major, how to get along with your roommate, how to do laundry and more.
It’s also pocket sized making a perfect companion for a college student to carry around.
6) Start Where You Are
Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration. Going out in the world out on your own is an exciting and scary time for college students.
This interactive journal will help them discover who they are and nurture their creativity, mindfulness, and self-motivation.
It’s filled with:
- quotes
- areas to write & draw
- colorful images
- and more to help inspire positive change.
7) How to Become a Straight-A Student
How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less.
This book will help college students raise their GPA.
A breakthrough approach to acing academic assignments, from quizzes and exams to essays and papers. A strategic blueprint for success that promises more free time, more fun, and top-tier results.
8) The Freshman Survival Guide
The Freshman Survival Guide Soulful Advice for Studying, Socializing, and Everything In Between
This is another all inclusive guide that covers topics college students really need or want help with.
It includes sections on dating, money management, mental health, how to prepare for college and more.
- Also Read: 14 Common & Costly College Student Don’ts
9) A Mind for Numbers
A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra).
Math & science are some of the subjects a majority of students have a tough time with.
A Mind for Numbers offers the tools needed to get a better grasp of that intimidating material. It offers the secrets to learning effectively—secrets that even dedicated and successful students wish they’d known earlier.
The learning strategies in this book apply not only to math and science, but to any subject one can struggle with.
10) The Naked Roommate
The Naked Roommate And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College.
In this book a college student will find ways to appropriately handle tough situations they may come across.
This essential book is packed with real-life advice on everything from making friends to managing stress. Humorous and telling stories from students on over 100 college campuses cover the basics, and then some.
11) Goodnight Dorm Room
Next on this list of books to read in college is a book that’s incorporates some fun with the advice!
Goodnight Dorm Room: All the Advice I Wish I Got Before Going to College.
This book gives advice in a humorous way, a fun twist on the book “Goodnight Moon”.
In addition:
It has funny, full color illustrations which will be appreciated by a young adult trying to make their way through college.
12) The Healthy College Cookbook
The freshman fifteen are real, help a college student avoid those extra pounds with this cookbook!
Ordering take out is a little less tempting when you know how to cook wholesome recipes. In this book there are tons of quick, easy and cheap recipes – exactly what a college student values in a meal.
13) The Her Campus Guide to College Life
The Her Campus Guide to College Life How to Manage Relationships, Stay Safe and Healthy, Handle Stress, and Have the Best Years of Your Life.
A great resource for female college students in particular.
This college guide is bursting with insider tips to help students navigate classes, relationships, and all extra curriculars–including parties and Greek life. The book has the lowdown on campus safety so college students can enjoy all that college has to offer while avoiding the unfortunate scary parts that sometimes come with it.
14) The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook
The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook Easy, Healthy Recipes for the Next Four Years & Beyond.
This is another cookbook designed for those who lack time, money and experience when it comes to making meals.
If they don’t have a meal plan, a college student will want a book that has convenient recipes they can rely on. There is even a part of the book that goes over how to save money on groceries!
15) The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies
The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies.
Getting sick during college is a given, its hard to avoid when there are so many other people around all the time.
This book will give a college student a place to reference when they get a cold or a runny nose. It has easy, home remedies giving individuals the option of avoiding a trip to the store for medication – which can be pricey on a student budget.
16) Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone
Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone: Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening.
This book has compiled the best tidbits of advice into one thought-provoking, conversation-starting book. Covering everything from posture to finances, with a hint of motherly sass.
It has bite-sized morsels of coming-of-age common sense and with tiny essays on topics like forgiveness and phone etiquette. This book is funny, covers all the important topics and is geared more for women.
17) Thing Explainer
Thing Explainer Complicated Stuff in Simple Words Book.
Have a student who is majoring in science or has an interest in it?
This book explains the what, why, how with language (and drawings) the common person can understand. Funny, interesting, and always understandable, this book is for anyone who has ever wondered how things work, and why.
What If is another book by the same author that explores science and technology with humor.
18) The Power of Habit
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.
This book takes us to the edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed.
Habits are a tool that can be used for success in college and in life. The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive, and achieving more is understanding how habits work.
19) A Short History of Nearly Everything
Finally on this list of books to read in college, we come to my last pick:
A Short History of Nearly Everything Book.
This is another great, science type book. This book would make a nice gift for a college student during their formative years.
From the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, this book seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us. An entertaining, yet highly informative book that goes beyond just facts to explore the how.
Got any other books to read in college recommendations for incoming freshmen?
Drop the name of a book or two that helped you in during college in a comment below!
About Charlie
Charlie is the co-founder of College Life Made Easy and author of the book 175+ Things to Do Before You Graduate College. She’s a 2015 graduate who teaches overwhelmed students and parents of students how to confidently navigate the whole college thing. As a former broke college kid, she’s passionate about helping students develop the skills they need in order to thrive (instead of just survive), stress less, and actually enjoy the full college experience.