So you’ve gotten into college. Yay! You did it, but what now? You say goodbye to your parents, cram your stuff into a tiny dorm room, and get ready to spend the next four months surrounded by strangers. How do you make connections? How do you start to feel comfortable in college?
I’ve got the solution: start small and break the ice with your roommate by asking the trifecta of questions essential to any college student anywhere: “What’s your name? Where are you from? And what’s your major?” This encounter could go one of two directions — you become good friends and get along excellently, or you both just kinda exist in the same space. If things go the second way, it’s not impossible to make friends. It just means that to find your group, you’re going to have to seek them out because unlike high school, friends don’t just fall in your lap because you took the same art class.
One of the best ways to find friends is to join a club that interests you. Most schools hold an involvement fair during the first month of a new semester. These are vital to the freshmen who are just starting their general education classes. Most of your fellow freshmen are in the same boat. This means you’re going to want to break the ice with that girl sitting next to you in your Intermediate Spanish class because, because you may never have another chance to meet her as students separate off into their majors.
On the academic side, it’s important to figure out a study routine. Study habits and needs vary from student to student; if you don’t already know what method of studying works best for you, that’s okay. Treat it as a test of trial and error. Try using flashcards, handwriting notes, studying in a group or individually, and find what works best for you to achieve academic success.
Finally, living in a dorm is a new experience for every college student worldwide. It’s not impossible but there’s a bit of a learning curve regarding the limitation of what you can and cannot have in the dorms. If you only take away one piece of advice from this article, I beg of you, PLEASE WEAR SHOWER SHOES. A nasty case of athlete’s foot courtesy of communal showers puts a real damper on things.
Freshman year of college can be nervewracking, but it’s also an exciting start to a new phase of life. So keep these tips in mind to make the most of your experience!