Freshmen, still getting settled in at Boston College? Here’s some advice on how to make your four years on this beautiful campus the best they can be!
1. Join extracurriculars: I didn’t join any extracurriculars at Student Activities Day. You’ll definitely feel overwhelmed with just moving into college but midway through freshman year, you’ll wish you had some more to do. Also, getting involved is such a good way to meet friends at BC. I was much happier when I had activities outside of schoolwork.
2. Stay friends with your roommates, but make sure to broaden your friend group: I was lucky enough to get along well with my freshman roommates. Through joining extracurriculars and going on 48 Hours, you can easily expand your friend group. Don’t let yourself get into the mindset that you’re done making friends.
3. Take advantage of going downtown: The BC bubble is a real thing and it can be suffocating. Going downtown and getting off campus makes you feel like you’re actually a part of the real world. Just getting dinner and spending the afternoon off campus can make you feel rejuvenated.
4. STUDY ABROAD: Studying abroad was the best decision I ever made and so many can vouch for that. Even though leaving campus for an entire semester sounds like a lot, it really makes you happy to come back. If you can’t go abroad during the semester, do a summer program!
5. It’s okay to be undecided: So many people jumped into taking major classes before they even knew what they want to do. It’s okay to get all of your core out of the way before you start major classes. Besides, so many people end up switching their majors anyways.
6. The Career Center is your friend, not your enemy: I am one who was scared to go to the Career Center, but it’s well worth it to go get advice on resumes, interviews, jobs and internship options. Going there may cause anxiety, but you come out feeling way better than you did when you went in.
7. Form relationships with your professors or advisors: Now that applying for jobs and post-grad programs is on the horizon, I realize that having a faculty member as a reference is really an enormous help. The professors you are close with are so easy going about writing recommendations. It’s just up to you to form that relationship, so start early!
Last but not least, enjoy your time at BC! Now that I’m a senior, I’m realizing how little time I have left. We’re all so lucky to go here, so take advantage of all the opportunities you have!
Photo Sources:
Remy Hassett
http://www.thebcobserver.com/w…