Hey incoming freshman,
It’s no surprise that when you’re new to college the experience it can be very overwhelming. There are instantly all of these new clubs and organizations that are at your fingertips. The whole social aspect can seem impossible to handle but it’s important to remember that while it’s important to try new things and get involved, classwork still remains important. Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that you absolutely must put school above everything else because, honestly, it’s your life and your decision. However, it’s not impossible to balance being a social butterfly and getting all your work done.
Take it from someone who used to be introverted like no other all the way up until spring semester my sophomore year of college. Yup, you read that right it took me almost two full years until I started putting myself out there. When it comes to making friends it’s hard I’m not going to sugar coat that. You go from seeing the same group of kids all day and chances are you probably grew up with them. But, once you get to college that sort of goes away, which isn’t completely terrible. I used this as an opportunity to have a fresh start and become the woman that I wanted to be. When I came to The University of Akron one of the first things that I did was go through sorority recruitment. If you would’ve asked me in high school if I ever would’ve rushed I would’ve literally laughed in your face. I’m being serious, but now I practically eat, sleep, breathe, and puke Alpha Phi. Going Greek was hands down one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. You instantly have like 70 plus new friends which in my opinion is pretty great. It instantly offers you leadership positions, which I might add look SO great on your resume; just don’t be afraid to go for them. Seriously, don’t because that was a big part of the reason it took me so long to break out of my shell; and the fact that my best friend practically ripped me completely out of my shell.
After I started putting myself out there I realized just how many doors opened for me almost instantly. But, I know Greek life isn’t for everyone but there are other clubs that you can get involved in. For example, we have clubs if you’re passionate about politics, religion, and groups for education majors, just to name a few.
Now when it comes to balancing your classwork and having fun it can get a bit challenging. I personally find it helpful to use a planner and write everything I need to get done in a to-do list and my classwork into different days. That not be your way of doing things, which is fine, but I’m telling you it’s hella important to make sure you’re on top of your work. It will catch up to you and hit you like a truck if you don’t stay on top of it.
I’m not saying that you have to put all of your time and effort into school if it’s not your thing, but you’re paying all this money to go to school and get some type of degree, so you might as well earn some type of decent grades. This doesn’t mean that you can’t go out and have fun on the weekends. Everyone is different and learns and manages their life in a different way. College is all about being able to find yourself, what you’re passionate about, and learning what works for you. Personally, I think if you work hard during the week you can absolutely go out and have fun on the weekend. When it comes to going out and partying here at college the most important thing is to be safe. It’s no secret that a good chunk of the college population goes out and parties; just be smart about who you’re going out with and what you’re posting.
Yes I’m going to “that person” who says that you should be careful if you choose to post something when you’re going out. I’m serious: if you think that just because any of your social media accounts are private that future employers won’t be able to see it, you’re 100% wrong. They have software that can easily view the content that you post. My mom has told me this from the very first time I got my first social media account. I didn’t think she was serious but never decided to risk it because I had no way of knowing if she was telling the truth or not. When I arrived to college and joined a sorority the women in my chapter said the same thing. I’ve even heard stories of people not getting jobs because of the content on their pages. So, if you’re going out it’s probably not the best decision to post photos of you underage at the bars, doing beer bongs, or whatever it is you’re doing when you’re out and under the influence. If you feel so inclined to take photos or videos while you’re out that’s fine; just keep them for yourself on your phone. They don’t need to be plastered all over the internet for the whole world to see.
Moral of the story is, get involved ASAP with anything and everything you can. Go out and meet new people and put yourself out there. Be mindful of the content of your posts because once it’s out there it’s always out there—deleted or not—you’ll thank me one day, I promise you.
Xoxo,
Your former introvert