Our whole lives, we’ve been hearing about the “college experience.” Picture this: you live on campus, get to see your friends every day, go to classes, parties, and get to experience true freedom away from home for the first time in your life. Of course, this is the unrealistic version of college portrayed by the media, but a lot of it can still ring true. However, for many students, the college experience is not really like this at all.
Many students live at home and commute to campus, with a lot of them only showing up when they have a class. Some classes are even virtual and students have no reason to be on campus on these days. But how can one fully make the most out of college when they have this experience?
The answer is, they can’t. At least, not if they are creating their college experience to be like this. One needs to take action and shape their experience exactly the way they want it. If you do the bare minimum and take the lazy way out, you’re not getting much out of anything. You’re paying to attend college, so you might as well take advantage of it.
One of the simplest ways to do this is to max out on in-person classes. To some, this sounds like hell, but it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself. In-person school has always been the way we were raised until the COVID-19 pandemic changed things. However, now that we are given the in-person option back, it’s best to take advantage. An in-person class gives you a reason to be on campus. It’s an important aspect of the college experience, especially for a commuter. Remember, try your best to show up to every lecture, even if you feel you don’t need to. Your presence on campus speaks volumes to you, especially over time.
When you take in-person classes, you might have large gaps in between. Depending on where you live and how long the breaks are, you might just decide to go home. However, to make the most out of college, you should get yourself to stay on campus. There’s plenty of places to station yourself, whether it be in the library, a nice spot outdoors, or an empty classroom. During this time, you can get some work done, hang out with friends, or check out various clubs and events taking place on campus. Increasing your on-campus presence is the best way to create a feeling of belonging.
When it comes to clubs, it’s always a great idea to check out different groups that share your values and interests. Not only does this increase your on-campus presence, but it also helps you meet like-minded people and explore your interests further. St. John’s has many different clubs and organizations, so there’s truly something for everyone.
On-campus events are a similar concept. However, they don’t have the same commitment a club might have, so if you’re interested in an event, you can get the same benefits a club brings: meeting new people, increasing your presence and exploring your interests, all without feeling like you owe your commitment to a group.
It might sound silly, but simply going up to people and striking up a conversation truly helps you to make the most out of your college experience, especially if you’re a commuter. Students who live on campus have so many more opportunities to meet new people. As a commuter, this might be a bit more difficult. Choosing to hang out in a popular spot also increases your chances of meeting others. In order to have the college friend groups you see romanticized on television, you don’t necessarily have to dorm.
Forming and sticking to a routine is also helpful. If you fly by the seat of your pants every day, you run the risk of choosing to stay home or just leaving after your classes. However, if you make a routine out of accomplishing things on campus, you’re more likely to follow through and develop healthy habits. A routine also gives you the ability to schedule fun things for yourself, which allows you to find the time to do them.
Most importantly, if you want to make the most out of your experience, always remember to have fun while doing it. A lot of the time, confidence is key. If you truly believe something, you’re already part of the way there. Dress in ways that make you feel the way you want to feel. Take up fun and interesting hobbies. Don’t let society’s ideas about how you should live influence you to be someone you’re not. Remember, it’s your life, and up to you to make the most of it and enjoy every minute.