If you would’ve asked me last September about my freshman year of college, a few images would have come to mind. College parties that could be heard from Forbes Ave, The Eatery buzzing with students, friends and myself rushing to get to our early morning classes and the Cathedral overfilled with students trying to get their studying on. However, flash forward to September 2020, and those images don’t exist. Sure, The Eatery is buzzing with students, but instead of tables being full and the dining hall loud with excitement, it is instead food servers yelling over the plexiglass and students rushing with their to-go boxes to get back to their dorms for their next Zoom class. COVID-19 has not only hit the entire world with its unexpected appearance, but has especially rocked the college world. Being a freshman in a new college, new city and new state comes with its own scariness and tension. Now, put COVID-19 into the mix and you’re brewing a real disaster. While it’s been a rough start to my college life, here are a few tips that have helped me in my first month.
- Get to know people on your floor
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I know that you probably read this first tip and thought to yourself “gee, that’s what everybody says.” Trust me, I was thinking the same thing. Everybody and their grandma seems to always be telling incoming freshmen to be open and not be afraid to meet new people. But the reality is, it’s not that easy. Personally, I’m an introvert and am super shy when it comes to new people. I’m the kind of gal that hopes the other person will make the first move in a conversation and hopefully I’ll have the guts to jump right on in. Coming into the college scene, you are thrown into a new world filled with random people that you’ve never met. However, whether you’re in a residence hall or in a hotel like me, take every opportunity to meet people. Your best opportunity to meet people is by starting on your floor. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to your “podmates,” or to knock on every door on your floor and try to meet as many people as you can. Or maybe you’re more comfortable with putting your social media handles on your door, so when people walk by they can add you. Some people prefer to keep their door open the first week, or just introduce themselves to every single person they meet. If that’s not your style that’s perfectly fine. Be friendly and open to meeting new people, even if your stomach is in knots because of your nerves. Meeting people on your floor leads to lunch or dinner dates to even study groups, which ultimately leads to friendships that could last a lifetime. No matter what, you’ll find your niche and people (even if they’re not on your floor or even your dorm). And if you don’t meet your people this semester, there is always next semester or even next year!
- Get rid of expectations
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If you’re like me, this summer might have been filled watching YouTube videos to see what college is like, hearing stories from upperclassmen and getting your expectations up for your freshman year. I’m sorry to break it to you, but throw all of your expectations away. Unfortunately with COVID-19, freshman year is going to be nothing like you hoped or expected. You’re not going to be able to go door-to-door to random parties as you travel down the streets of South Oakland. You’re not going to actually be able to attend all of your classes in person. You’re not going to be able to make a ton of friends as you have the best time of your life during O-Week. However, you will become an expert with Zoom and get into the routine of sprinting to The Eatery as you try to grab lunch before your next class. Freshman year is going to look a whole lot different from your expectations. There are things that you are going to experience that weren’t shown in any YouTube video or seen in an upperclassman’s Snapchat story. COVID-19 has shaken up the college scene, and freshman year is completely different than what we all expected, but no matter what college is what you make of it.
- Get organized ASAP
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For me, in a natural and normal setting, procrastination always seems to be a villain for my schooling. No matter how many planners I get or how many reminders I set, TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat always seem to divert my attention as my assignments wait in the background. However, with all of my classes remaining online for what seems to be the rest of the semester, getting organized quickly is the way to go. For me, getting organized meant: printing out all of my syllabi, investing in a planner and marking everything that will be due on my desktop calendar. Online school isn’t the easiest, I know, but the best thing to do is develop a schedule, get a routine down and ultimately do your work. Procrastination, while it may look enticing, is ultimately just going to put you further behind. Make sure that you get assignments done, homework done and prepare for your tests. Check Canvas repeatedly (I know I check about 100 times a day) to make sure you’re not missing assignments and no, don’t just check the “Assignments” tab. College is a whole lot different from high school, especially in terms of work. Set a good reputation for yourself with professors by being the student that always has their work done. Attend the Zoom session even if you don’t wanna roll out of your bed. Trust me, you’ll thank me when your grades are high and your procrastination is at a low. Whether you’re facing Zoom University or not, education is the main reason you’re in college, so make sure you succeed in getting one.
- Be confident in yourself
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This statement can be seen in any light you want it to be. Whether it’s that you want to be more confident in your schoolwork, or more confident in yourself when trying to meet new people and make friends, or even just being more confident in yourself in general. College is very intimidating, from all different aspects. From seeing other freshmen in their own set groups as you walk down Fifth Ave by yourself, to seeing upperclassmen in the Hillman Library being motivated and getting stuff done, to the nervousness that washes over you as you sit in your Zoom class – college is scary. However, don’t let the scariness of freshman year make you lose confidence in yourself. You know what you are capable of and you know why you chose this route. You have dreams and ambitions for yourself, and ultimately it will be you who will get the job done. Don’t let the fears of what others think or the consistent doubts that your mind makes up stop you from living your college experience. Push away the doubts and the fears and just enjoy your freshman year. Say hi to the people on your floor in the dorms, join that club that sparks your interest and just ultimately be yourself. I understand that college is intimidating, and there will be days that you question yourself and your abilities, but it is important to trust yourself and your instincts. You know yourself best, so be confident in yourself and do what makes you the happiest.
- Be prepared for homesickness
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Homesickness for me hit the moment my mother’s white mini-van pulled away from my home. Tears streaming down my face, stomach twisted in knots and hands shaking with anxiety, I had already begun to miss my little hometown and my family that resided in it. My first few days at college were rough, starting with me ugly-crying in a little restaurant in Shadyside and ending with me puking my guts out on the Alumni Hall steps as my parents prepared to head back home. Honestly, for the first two weeks at Pitt, I felt I wasn’t ready. However, as each day passes the homesickness slowly fades away, and the multitudes of texts or phone calls that you’re sending your mom, dad or guardian turn into maybe a text a week. You’ll start to realize that life back at home will be the same way it was when you left, and that no matter what, you’ve got a group of supporters cheering you on. It’s perfectly okay to feel homesick. Whether it’s missing your group of friends, the way that your dog/cat would snuggle with you at night, the little arguments that your brothers would have over a Fortnite game or just the familiarity of your environment. Homesickness is different for everyone. Just know that no matter how homesick you are now, you’ll be back in your hometown with the people you love quicker than you know it!
- Know it’s okay to struggle
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The struggle bus is very real at college, and every day it seems as though I have a front-row seat, but it’s absolutely okay. Like any other academic jump, coming from high school to college is a major mountain to climb. College is no different from any other challenging experience, so expect a struggle to come your way. Yes, I said it, you are going to struggle. But, it is going to be okay. Struggles come with every new experience we face, and ultimately struggles make us stronger. Unfortunately though, college seems to be a sink-or-swim world. If I’m gonna be honest, most of the time, I feel like I’m at the bottom of the ocean. However, there is always time to start learning how to swim. It can be overwhelming with meeting new people, trying to find your “forever” friends, managing schoolwork and, on top of it all, living in a pandemic. College is most definitely not a walk in the park, and with a pandemic looming over us, it doesn’t get any better. However, you are more than capable of handling it. Even if you’re front-row on the struggle bus seatbelted in next to me, we are going to get through our freshman year. Always remember that every day is a new day that brings new opportunities, new mindsets and new challenges. You can do this! It’s completely okay to struggle, just shake it off and keep pushing!
- Be safe
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With the COVID-19 pandemic is upon us, it is our responsibility to be in control of our actions and be mindful of what our actions will cause. Please, don’t be selfish and reckless by traveling down to South Oakland and trying to attend house parties. Please, don’t try to tailgate with your whole floor in your dorm room. I can guarantee that there will be plenty of parties next year that will be calling your name. And I can guarantee that there will most definitely be dozens of tailgates in your college lifetime. I know that it’s upsetting to lose your first semester of freshman year, but don’t ruin the next one or even your sophomore year just to get intoxicated with 20 other people. We came into college knowing this would be the stepping stone into adulthood, so let’s get started with being adults now. Be safe. Be smart. Wear a mask and, like always, stay six feet apart.
Freshman year of college is an obstacle that I’m facing for the first time, and now with COVID-19 being brought into the mix, there are a lot more challenges in store. I know that times like these are scary and unforeseen, but we got this! Stay focused, stay positive and ultimately stay safe! Hopefully, we can use this guide to kick freshman year’s butt and hope for a soon-to-be normal spring semester, or worst case a normal sophomore year!