Your first week of college will
probably be a whirlwind of emotions, experiences, and names. Although freshman
orientation is pretty well planned out at most schools, there are bound to be
moments of awkwardness where you’re really just not sure what to do. Here
are [some hints] that will help you survive that first week of college…
1.
Accept that you will forget the
names of most of the people you meet that first week. It’s OK. People will
forget your name, too. It’s all good. The key is to be honest about it the next
time you see somebody familiar in the hall or on campus.
Don’t
be afraid to say, “Hey, I know we met that first week, but I’m terrible with
names. What’s your name again? “Then after you’ve chatted for a bit, as you’re
walking away, envision their face and repeat their name in your head several
times so it “sticks.” Make new friends, but keep the old.
Out
of all those people you’ll meet your first week, there’s a very real possibility
that you won’t become and stay friends with all of them. All freshmen will be
looking to make friends and will probably be very friendly.
I
met tons of people during my first week and thought I would become friends with
all of them. I didn’t. I stayed friends with about two of them.
2.
Don’t worry if everybody you meet
isn’t your best friend forever (BFF). You just need to find those two or three
people you can go to the dining hall with and hang out with on weekends. Unlike
high school, college isn’t a popularity contest. It’s about growing, learning,
maturing, and meeting some cool people along the way to share the experience
with.
Class materials are not cheap! You probably have already
heard about how expensive textbooks are. What you probably don’t hear about are
the additional items you need to purchase. For example, last semester
I had to purchase an online supplement for my textbook…a financial calculator,
and case studies from Harvard Business School. Can you say [lots of money]?
3.
Once you know what classes you’re
taking and what books and materials are required; start looking around for
cheaper alternatives. Start with past students, rent the books at your
bookstore instead of buying, or check online sellers like Amazon.com, Textbooks.com, or Chegg.com.
No two classes are alike. Be prepared to experience some
very different requirements for each of the classes you take. Some
classes require constant homework, presentations, and papers. Other classes
just have a midterm and a final exam.
4.
No matter what the requirements, I
would advise getting a planner (or your cell phone calendar) and writing down
all the important due dates as soon as you get them so you can stay organized
and don’t overlook or forget anything. You can even put alerts on your phone to
beep as an extra measure so nothing falls through the cracks.
There’s no place like home. Of course this won’t necessarily
happen to everyone, but don’t be surprised if you get hit with a sudden wave of
homesickness sometime during your first week. For most, it happens right after
their parents leave and for others it might be later on once the initial excitement
settles down.
5.
When you’re packing for college,
don’t forget to pack some pictures from home to stick on your wall or put on
your desk. And, make sure you have all the emails and phone numbers of your
family and friends loaded in your phone in case you feel the sudden urge to
text, email, or heaven forbid...call.
Find your quiet place; most of the time you’ll be surrounded
by other people. There’s your roommate(s), people next door, or people on other
floors, and there will almost always be other people in the campus center or
dining halls. With lots of people usually comes lots of noise. Not a good
thing, if you need your space.
6.
Take some time that first week to
seek out a quiet place you can escape to [for clearing] your head, [unwinding],
or just [breathing]. Maybe
it’s a single study room in the library, a park near campus, or just going for
a walk. And if all else fails, invest in a good pair of noise-cancelling
headphones to block out the distractions.
Exploration should be a college requirement. It’s crazy how
much more free time you have in college compared to high school. The problem is
a lot of college kids don’t know what to do with it. [Of course, lots of free
time may not be an issue if you are working to pay all or part of your tuition.]
7.
Don’t just sit around when you have
free time. Use it wisely. And by wisely, I mean go exploring. Explore the
campus, checkout the surrounding area, join a club, go to a sporting event, try
a new restaurant, [or check out a cultural event on campus]. These next four
years are going to go fast. Make them count.
Can’t get there from here; no matter what size your campus
is, it can be super easy to get lost when you’re trying to find your classes
for the first time….
8.
Do a “dry run” before your classes
start. Make sure you know where all of the rooms are, and how long it will take
for you to get between classes. So when classes do start, you’ll know where
you’re going and won’t look like a lost freshman.
Variety is the spice of life. In most cases, dining hall
food can’t even compare to home-cooked meals. It might seem exciting at first
to have all these ready-made options available to you, but that quickly fades…
9.
Be adventurous. Most meal plans
include whatever you can find in the dining hall. Take the opportunity to try
new things. You might surprise yourself and actually like it. And if you
don’t...either share it with a friend, or throw it out. Many dorms also
have kitchens. If you’re longing for a home-cooked meal, get a few friends
together and cook up a meal. And of course you can try out different
restaurants off-campus as well.
Cleanliness is all a matter of opinion. An inevitable part
of your college experience: having to share a bathroom…Be prepared for the bathrooms
to get gross fast.
10.
Be prepared…when it comes to the
cleanliness of your dorm bathroom…. When you go home for breaks and enjoy a hot
twenty minute shower and a clean toilet; remember to thank whoever cleans the
bathroom.*
“Grow
a wise heart – you’ll do yourself a favor; keep a clear head – you’ll find a
good life.” (Proverbs 19:8, MSG)
*Adapted from the article, “10 Tips to Survive Your First
Week of College” written by Rosanna Wang on July 21, 2015 from the Testive Talks Blog.
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