Things You'll Need:
- Close friends
- Courage
- Openness
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Step 1
Before you depart from your hometown or place of living, throw a going away party. By celebrating your move to college instead of worrying about it, you'll be much more likely to accept it. Invite old friends and give each other photos, memory books or small gifts to remember them by when you're away at school.
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Step 2
Write your new roommates. Though your college may not give out email addresses, they usually give you the names and postal addresses of your future roomies. Write them, describe yourself, and give them your MySpace name or instant messaging screen name. The closer you feel to a new roommate before the big move-in day, the better.
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Step 3
Visit your college and go to an open house. Go on a campus tour. Learn as much as you can about activities, sports, social events and other student-oriented information. You'll often be able to speak with current students to get their firsthand account of the school you will be attending.
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Step 4
Pack everything you need in advance. Be sure to include necessities like bedding, bath products and clothes, but include some personal items. Bring along a television, posters, photographs of friends and that stuffed animal your boyfriend won for you two years ago. The more your dorm feels like home, the more comfortable you'll feel.
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Step 5
Introduce yourself to any and everyone in your dorm hall or floor. A new friend may be right around the corner from you: literally. Attend first night events and go to welcome barbecues. These activities are designed to introduce fellow students you may be spending the next four years with.
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Step 6
Before your first day of classes, print out a virtual map or go on a campus walk-through. Grab some new friends and look for your classrooms together before the day of the actual classes. University campuses are often large, spread out and entirely menacing your first day of classes. Know where you're going beforehand.
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Step 7
Sign up for a meal plan if you need room and board. Your first year as a college student can be life-altering both mentally and emotionally. You'll need all the time you can get to study, meet new friends, and become an active member of your college community. The last thing you is to worry about your next meal.
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Step 8
Find out what special activities your college offers. Universities tend to make their campuses pseudo-countries. You'll probably find a bank, health care center, gym and countless other amenities right on property. Join a fitness class or self-defense course. Sign up for a charity event or take a stress management class. The more involved you are, the better you'll adjust to college life.
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Step 9
Attend your classes. Though you may have more freedom to skip a class than you did in high school, it's best to always go to class. College professors don't chase after students the way they did in school. If you don't attend, you'll miss important information which can hurt you on an exam or paper. Some colleges even have attendance policies, with a certain amount of absences result in class failure.
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Step 10
Always surround yourself with people you can trust. College freshmen are often the targets of upperclassmen that want to pull pranks or take advantage of their vulnerability. Have a core group you socialize with on a regular basis.
Comments
chcframes said
on 9/18/2009 My son is in his freshman year at Beloit College, and even with their wonderful Orientation Week, it got me thinking about where I could find real-life tips to help even more. I liked your advice on signing up for a meal plan because “You'll need all the time you can get to study, meet new friends, and become an active member of your college community. The last thing you is to worry about your next meal.” That makes a lot of sense. I have posted your link on a blog I wrote with advice from upperclassmen at different colleges. Here's the link: http://www.diplomaframe.com/pages/1108_tips_on_adjusting_to_college_life.cfm Thanks so much!